Man injured as stray lion strikes fear along busy highway in Nairobi

One of the lions that had strayed from the park walks back after it was lead to the Nairobi National Park by game warders on 19th February 2016. KWS reported on 29th February,2016 they located 2 more along the by pass road near Langata.

Fear gripped Nairobi residents yesterday morning when a stray lion made its way to the busy Mombasa Road. Residents plying the route got a rude shock when a man (first witness) came face-to-face with the lion taking a nap in a thicket.

The man is said to have screamed to alert other passers-by who apparently instead of running for safety, went closer to see the king of the jungle.

As the drama continued, they alerted motorists on the busy highway, who started hooting, infuriating the lion.

According to witnesses, the man eater instinctively went on the defensive, giving a deafening roar making the crowd scamper for safety.

They said the lion then charged and caught up with one elderly man and smacked him with its paws.

The injured man fainted on the spot before he was picked by a Good Samaritan who rushed him to hospital. Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) refused to disclose details on the extent of the man’s injuries but confirmed the incident insisting that the victim suffered ‘bruises’ and was out of danger.

Charged lion

“We cannot disclose where he is admitted but he is in stable condition. The said lion was also captured and returned deep in the park and rangers have also been deployed to keep vigil,” said KWS Spokesperson Paul Udoto.

Udoto claimed at the time of going to press that even the family of the victim had not been informed as they still did not know the whereabouts of the 63-year-old.

“I know you press people want more information but the man is in pain and we want him to have ample time to recover. We will update you when anything comes up,” said Udoto.

According to witnesses, the incident took place around 06.52hrs. Nicholas Sichemo who guards a steel company along Mombasa Road where many victims sought refuge said he saw a crowd abruptly struggling to gain entry into the compound.

“People were shouting with fear pleading to be let in. When I stepped out to check what was going on, I saw a huge lion charging at them. The challenge was on how to let them in without allowing the lion inside. I have never been that scared,” he told The Standard on Saturday.

Sichemo said during the commotion he saw the lion smack one man and his body went motionless: “I immediately called the police hotline, who then alerted Embakasi Police Station. When they came, I told them the lion had killed someone but I later came to learn that he did not die. I hear a Good Samaritan rescued him.”

He added: “It came right to gate and started pushing to gain entry but when the hooting of vehicles and shouting became too much it retreated to the thicket and ran away.”

His colleague Julius Kyalo was lucky not to encounter the lion: “A lady who hawks food called to warn me to use another route to work because there was a lion. I was not far from the scene.”

Joseph Enyata was heading to work at Heavy Engineering when he encountered the beast.

“I tried to run but I tripped and fell out of fear when I realised it was right behind me. I even saw it jump over a lady, as it dashed to attack the injured man. I’m surprised it pounced without touching her and she just fainted,” he said.

Enyata sustained severe bruises on his fingers. Two weeks ago two lions broke out from the city’s national park and were cited in Ngong’ Forest and the Southern by pass areas.

A week earlier, six lions on the loose were spotted in Lang’ata area. KWS had warned no one to approach the lions as they had cubs which makes them overprotective and aggressive.

On Wednesday night, three lions again set themselves free and served themselves with  a farmer’s 100 sheep and goats in Syokimau.

“Such cases have not happened before. The menace of lions is attributed to the ongoing constructions of rails and estates that seem to have encroached the park,” explained Udoto.

He added that hooting and shouting when one spots a lion is not wise: “That is what made this lion aggressive.”

In less than a month, lions have escaped from the park three times.