Village where the living and dead have no peace

A body being buried in a shallow grave at Lichota Cemetery in Suna West sub-county on July 29, 2024. [Anne Atieno, Standard]

It is 11am and a shallow grave has already been dug at Lichota Cemetery in Suna West sub-county, to bury a 13-year-old boy who was allegedly killed by his father.

Near the freshly dug grave is a mass grave.

The family of the boy came all the way from Ntimaru to pay their last respects.

In a hurry to inter the body, the family does not question why the grave is shallow but rather they want its width extended to fit the coffin.

The coffin is lowered in the grave and it's quickly filled with soil but the family is unaware that hyenas won’t let their loved one rest in peace.

Residents who have been having sleepless nights over the howling hyenas say the stench from shallow graves at the cemetery attracts the animals which dig out the bodies before they start roaming the village and attacking livestock.

The residents of Kitere village in Ragana Ward, a few kilometres away from Lichota cemetery, are now living in fear of attack by hyenas.

Residents show KWS rangers a shallow grave at Lichota Cemetery in Suna West sub-county on July 29, 2024. [Anne Atieno, Standard]

“We are worried and can’t sleep at night. The hyenas have been roaming at night. They attack our villages and roam everywhere,” Elphas Wasike says.

The villagers are counting losses after their goats, sheep and dogs were attacked and killed by the howling hyenas.

Wasike says three hyenas killed and feasted on his dog two days ago.

“They have started feasting on our dogs and we are afraid they might start attacking our children because they are used to digging out bodies at the cemetery,” he adds.

Sam Nyaganda, another resident, says the hyenas start roaming the village between 8 pm and 9 pm.

Nyaganda says a week ago, two hyenas killed five sheep at his father’s homestead.

“The lives of residents are now at risk and we are living in fear,” he says.

Failure to fence the cemetery has seen some people sneak in to bury bodies in shallow graves.

“It has no fence and people bury anyhow,” Nyaganda says.

A man digs shallow grave at Lichota Cemetery in Suna West sub-county on July 29, 2024. [Anne Atieno, Standard]

The residents lament that authorities are yet to address their complaints.

Franklin Ochieng Orwa, a public works officer, who has been in charge of the cemetery for 15 years admits that hyenas dig out bodies saying the county government needs to fence the area.

Assistant Chief for Upper Marindi Sub-location Justus Ochieng’ says the shallow graves attract the hyenas.

“We have been having a challenge because of hyenas,” Mr Ochieng’ says.

Kenya Wildlife Service on July 29 camped in the village where they laid a trap for the hyenas.

“We stayed here in the night but did not catch any. We are certain that within a week we should have caught at least two hyenas,” says Stephen Ruku, the official in charge of Homa Bay who represented senior, Warden Jackson Kibor.

He urges relevant stakeholders to join hands and help fence the cemetery.

Attempts to get comments from the county health department were futile.