A female stray buffalo has been killed by Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) rangers at Suam Ward in West Pokot County after it killed a woman who was taking her baby to the clinic on Saturday afternoon.
According to KWS West Pokot County warden, Hamisi Amulavu, the buffalo migrated from Uganda to Chepasacha village where it destroyed maize farms and gored the woman, Chepokugho Ngolerongan, to death.
Amulavu said the stray buffalo migrated from the neighbouring country because of the cold weather for the much warmer West Pokot County.
“The woman’s body was moved to Kapenguria referral Hospital mortuary while her baby was taken to hospital for treatment. The Buffalo was traced later by KWS rangers and killed,” he said.
He advised locals to be alert if they spot any roaming wild animals and report immediately to the authorities.
Locals feasted on the buffalo meat after it was killed but Amulavi cautioned them against consuming uninspected meat.
One of the locals, Moses Lotukon, said the buffalo didn’t hurt the seven-month-old girl child.
“It killed the woman but the child is safe. The woman was taking her baby to the clinic when she met the buffalo on the way,” he said.
He said passersby found the unharmed baby in the bush next to the lifeless body of her mother.
The buffalo was spotted some few metres away from the two as if standing guard after realising what it had done.
Amulavi said that the woman was badly wounded and died on the spot.
“The woman was taking her baby girl to the hospital while the other twin baby boy had been left at home. Her eyes were gouged out and it broke her legs and hands. Fortunately, the baby girl was not badly hurt,” he said.
The ranger said that locals skinned the buffalo after it was killed and shared the meat amongst themselves.
“We scrambled for the meat. Previously the buffalo had been spotted chasing children who were herding cows. We are happy the KWS officers responded immediately and killed the buffalo. We can now sleep without worries,” he said.
