Hippos smile, farmers cry

A herd of more than 20 hippos which live in a sewer in Ruai, about 20 km from Nairobi, has turned the lives of farmers in the area into a nightmare.

Residents who spoke to the Sunday Nation on Saturday said the hippos invade their farms at night and destroy crops.

And the beasts do not just threaten their economic lifeline — the people of Ruai no longer enjoy their freedom of movement as much as other Kenyans do elsewhere.

Residents keep indoors as much as they can at night for fear of attacks.

Mr Martin Ndolo, 34, said he had lost Sh120,000 worth of investments to the hippos this year.

“I have to spend the night on my farm to keep vigil. However, all I can do is try to scare the animals away by hitting tins and lighting fires,” said the father of three.

Mr Ndolo said that he settled on the 10-acre farm that belonged to his grandfather with high hopes of making a living out of farming but the hippos have left him helpless.

“Once they feed on the crops, the crops never recover and you have to replant. The animals also cause the soil to develop hard pans due to their heavy weight,” he said.

Mr Ndolo said that the losses have driven him to a point of selling his personal effects. His efforts to get help from the Kenya Wildlife Service, he said, have been futile. “They only give me empty promises,” Mr Ndolo said.

His neighbour, Jackson Kagwa, lost his donkey after it was reportedly bitten by a hippo yesterday morning.