Tourism Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano has revealed the new strategy her ministry has employed to address the hyena menace in Juja, Kiambu County.
Taking to her official X account on Friday, September 6, 2024, Miano said the hyena menace around Juja area had reached inadmissible levels.
Juja incident
While regretting the attack on a five-year-old child in Juja by a hyena, the former Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry CS stated that she directed the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to mop up all hyenas from the area.
According to Miano, the KWS officers must demonstrate to the residents of Juja that the attacks by hyenas will be a thing of the past after September 2024.
KWS surveillance
Miano went ahead to note that she had also authorised a 24-hour KWS surveillance in Juja area to ensure that no other life is lost.
“The hyena menace around Juja area has now reached inadmissible levels. The recent loss of two children in the area to hyenas is so painful to think about. Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) personnel are on the ground to ensure no more lives are lost to wild animals.
“I have directed KWS to mop up all hyenas from Juja area as fast as humanly possible and demonstrate to the residents of the area affected that this will be a thing of the past after September 2024. Meanwhile, I have authorized 24 hour KWS surveillance in Juja area to ensure that no other life is lost forthwith,” she stated.
The hyena menace around Juja area has now reached inadmissible levels. The recent loss of two children in the area to hyenas is so painful to think about. @KWSKenya personnel are on the ground to ensure no more lives are lost to wild animals.
— CS Rebecca Miano, EGH (@rebecca_miano) September 6, 2024
I have directed KWS to mop up all… https://t.co/58fc7wn8us
KWS on Juja incident
In a statement issued on Thursday, September 5, 2024, KWS announced plans to intensify its efforts to mitigate human-wildlife conflict in the area.
KWS revealed that it had launched Operation Ondoa Fisi-2 in August 2024, an initiative aimed at addressing the rising hyena threat in Juja. Since then, they have successfully relocated 38 hyenas and sealed off 12 quarries that had become their hideouts.
“To address the hyena threat, KWS launched Operation Ondoa Fisi-2 on 8th August 2024, following a similar incident in Juja. This operation builds on previous efforts from November 2023 to combat the increasing hyena attacks. Since its start, KWS has relocated 38 hyenas and sealed 12 quarries used as their hideouts,” KWS confirmed.
Residents’ outrage
Residents of Juja on Thursday barricaded the Thika superhighway for nearly two hours to protest against the loss of the young child who had been attacked by the hyena.
This caused a traffic snarl-up on both sides of the busy highway that stretched for over three kilometers leaving travellers, among them secondary school students reporting back for the third term, stranded.
