Residents of Kabwodo village in Samia sub county of Busia are demanding that Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) put in place measures that will protect their livestock from fatal snake attacks.
According to Africana Oguto Chenja, a resident from the village, they have been losing their livestock to snake attacks in the area with no intervention from the relevant authorities.
“For the past six months we have come across five pythons and many livestock lost as a result. Human- animal conflict has been rampant in recent days,” said Oguto.
According to residents, they have raised several alarms with KWS but they receive no compensation for the livestock lost. He urged leaders in Busia to help them get their compensation.
Michael Ouma, another resident and a livestock farmer, urged KWS to do routine patrols across the dense forests in the area and trap any snakes to avoid damages and losses incurred by residents of Kabwodo village.
The residents are now proposing for an animal reserve to be put in place so as to boost tourism in the region and earn revenue for the government.
Kabwodo Police Station OCS Paul Ashiembi askedKWS to take swift action as irate villagers are keen on killing the trespassing wildlife.
“I request the KWS to do patrols to ensure the wildlife do not trespass to the residential areas,” he said, noting that the villagers have vowed to kill the wild animals if they are found in their farms.
