A 10-year-old child in Juja killed by hyenas

A chilling tragedy has struck the Witeithie area of Juja, Kiambu County, where a 10-year-old boy has fallen prey to a pack of marauding hyenas. This incident marks the latest in a disturbing series of attacks that have instilled fear and anxiety among the local community.

Residents have been living in a state of constant apprehension, restricting their movements outside their homes, particularly during the evening, late at night, and early morning hours, out of fear for their safety and the safety of their children. The threat posed by these wild animals has even forced parents to keep their children home from school.

Determined to take action, residents have pledged to work in groups to eliminate these menacing creatures. However, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) wardens have intervened, proposing a more humane approach by driving the hyenas away and finding a long-term solution.

The tragic events unfolded on Saturday evening when the 10-year-old boy, a Grade Four pupil at Highway Primary School, was walking with three friends. As they made their way home, they were confronted by a charging clan of hyenas.

The boy’s friends managed to escape, leaving him at the mercy of the predators. His blood-stained clothes were later discovered in a nearby bush by quarry workers on Sunday morning, leading to the recovery of his mutilated remains.

The police were immediately alerted to the crime scene and proceeded to collect the scattered body parts left behind by the hyenas. The identity of the victim was not immediately disclosed.

KWS personnel have been deployed to the area, vowing to track down the hyenas and drive them back to their natural habitat within the nearby Ol-Donyo Sabuk Game Reserve.

Unfortunately, such attacks are not uncommon in this region. In September of last year, a similar fate befell a nine-year-old boy who was mauled to death by a pack of hyenas.

Earlier this year, a 35-year-old man from Athi village narrowly escaped a savage attack by eight hyenas. Prior to that, two more incidents involving hyena attacks were reported in Witeithie village and Thika Constituency, respectively.

In response to the escalating tensions and growing concerns among residents, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations in Juja has urged the community to exercise caution while they work towards finding an amicable solution to this pressing issue.