Residents of Nthimbiri and Kiathumbi villages assist KWS officers to remove ivory from an elephant that had terrorised them for six hours. [Photo: PATRICK MUTHURI/STANDARD]

MERU: One person was injured when villagers engaged a herd of elephants that had strayed into their farms.

The six-hour rampage involving residents of Kianthumbi village saw one jumbo shot dead by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officers.

Residents of Nthimbiri, Kianthumbi, and Giaki said four elephants have in the last two days been destroying their crops and fruits.

"They (elephants) have destroyed maize, bananas, coffee, tea, millet and green grams. We are disappointed by the response by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) officers," Martin Mwenda, a resident of Nthimbiri, said.

The officers tried to disperse the mob keen on sharing the killed elephant but were overwhelmed, as the residents armed with knives and pangas scrambled for a piece.

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After the KWS officers removed the ivory, it was free-for-all. The elephant had killed a donkey before the officers decided to take it down.

KWS Deputy Warden Jimna Partet said the affected villages were on a traditional migration route for elephants from Meru National Park to Upper Imenti Forest.

"In July, they migrate through this route, which they used seven years ago. It is the population and settlement in the route that make them unable to reach the forest before dawn," the officer said.

Mr Partet said three of the four elephants were successfully herded into the forest but the male one lost its way and became lonely and aggressive.