Tharaka Nithi residents feast on elephant meat

Hundreds of locals armed with crude weapons on Monday descended on Thigaa village in Tharaka-Nithi County to feast on an elephant gunned down by wildlife service rangers.

The stray elephant was killed after it attacked two people, a 95-year-old Mrs Joyce Mungai Kanampui and Mr Duncan Njagi, 61, from Majira village in Maara Sub-County who are currently admitted at PCEA Chogoria Mission Hospital in critical condition.

After killing the animal that had turned violent, the Kenya Wildlife Service rangers could not control the residents that descended on the carcass with machetes despite warning against consuming the uninspected meat.

'REVENGE'

Mr William Mutembei, one of the residents said they had to feast on the animal because it had also destroyed their crops and injured people.

“The animal has done us a lot of harm, so, we must eat its meat to revenge because we know KWS will not compensate us,” said Mr Mutembei.

Ms Mary Wanja, another resident said it was a unique blessing for the village and that the poor and the rich will feed on the meat.

However, some residents said they will not eat the elephant meat fearing for their health since it has not been inspected.

Maara OCPD Johnston Kabusia told journalists that some of the locals pelted police vehicles with stones after the officers refused to shoot the animal.

Mr Kabusia warned local residents against killing animals that stray from game parks.

“Whenever the wild animals escape from the park to the villages, residents should keep off and allow KWS officers to drive them back,” he said.