Juja food vendor mauled to death by hyenas

Juja residents mill at the scene where a food vendor was mauled to death by marauding hyenas on Wednesday morning. [Gitau Wanyoike, Standard]

Grief engulfed residents of Juja after a middle-aged woman was mauled to death by a clan of hyenas in the South Estate.

Nancy Njoki, a food vendor was on her way to work at around 6am on Wednesday when she was attacked by the marauding hyenas.

The animals dragged her body to the bush and severely mauled her head, torso and back.

Residents led by Hellen Mukami and Allan Mburu said that Njoki was a food vendor in construction sites in the area.

They said despite efforts by the Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) officers to ensure translocation of the hyenas to protected areas, they are still roaming the villages and attacking residents.

The infuriated residents pointed an accusing finger at local leaders and the authorities for slowing down the hunt for the animals.

They said that Njoki's life wouldn't have been lost if the hyenas had been translocated to protected areas like conservancies.

The residents lamented that this was not the first attack in the village as scores have perished in the jaws of the hyenas and others left with life-threatening injuries.

Early this year, 10-year-old Dennis Teya was mauled to death by the hyenas in the neighboring Gwa Kigwi village.

The locals said their livestock have not been spared either by the marauding hyenas.

Mukami expressed concern over the safety of their children once schools reopen in two weeks' time as they leave very early in the morning when the hyenas are still roaming the area.

Hyenas are mostly nocturnal but can attack in the morning.

The locals said that failure by investors to refill mined quarries and clear bushes has attracted the wild animals to the village.

The quarries provide safe breeding and hiding abodes to the hyenas.

Mburu, a boda boda operator said that he has on several occasions sighted the marauding animals early in the morning while heading to work and expressed fears over the safety of school-going children.

Residents called on KWS to intensify the translocation of the hyenas which begun in December last year.

They lamented that they have been forced to close businesses early for fear of attacks by the animals.

Clans of hyenas have been roaming Nyacaba, Malaba, Athi, Juja Farm, Muthaara, Magomano, Mukuyu villages in Witeithie and Kalimoni wards, attacking residents.