Fighting bulls goring caregivers to early death

Residents of Khayega in Kakamega County cheer on as bulls tussle in a previous bullfighting event. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

The love of bullfighting runs deep among the Isukha and Idakho sub-tribes of the Luhya community. It is a cultural undertaking that provides economic venture besides the known entertainment aspect.

The thrilling activity comes with numerous dangers, like being run over by the huge and intimidating bull, one being gored to death, or stampede when the bull loses control during the fierce contests in the field or cowshed.

On average, the fighting bulls are mean-looking, huge, intimidating yet disciplined, as long as their special handlers are with them.

However, cases of fighting bulls turning on their owners and caretakers in Kakamega are on the rise. At least four owners who are special handlers have been gored to death in less than a month.

Two years ago, a bull was detained at Khayega Police Post after it trampled a woman to death.

The bull, nicknamed Tusker, reportedly broke loose and charged at three women when it was being driven back home from the contest and trampled on one of them, Felistus Luda, to death.

Bramwel Andugu was also fatally wounded by an angry bull that had been overpowered by its opponent.

On Saturday, Augustus Ingotsi was killed when two opposing groups clashed during a bullfighting contest at Muhonje village, Shinyalu Constituency.

Last week, Conrad Atenya, 43, was gored to death by his own bull, known as Mukumbeti, when he went to take out from the cage.

In a scenario where a bull kills someone, Luhya traditios demand that the owner of the bull or a family member condemns the killer bull, drives a spear into the bull, and leaves.

The crowd standing near the bull takes over the stone, and spear and hacks the bull to death.

In January this year, a bull named Inasio and owned by Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale, killed Kizito Moi, its caretaker and trainer in Malinya village, Ikolomani Constituency.
 
The 46-year-old caretaker was gored to death by Inasio, a five-year-old bull, the reigning champion of the Ikolomani bullfighting competition

Khalwale told journalists that his long-serving trainer and caretaker had drunk alcohol and that could have led the bull to attack him.

According to elders, engaging in sexual intercourse or drinking alcohol before attending a bullfighting contest may lead to loss of life.

The elders say a man is unclean if he engages in sex as explained in the book of Leviticus 15:16, which says “If a man goes to bed with a woman and has sexual relations, both are to bath themselves in water, they will be unclean until evening.’

“When you engage in sex on the eve of the fight, and you are the bull’s caretaker or trainer, you weaken its fighting spirit, leading a bull to lose focus and even go wild, which leads to injuries and death,” Samuel Segero, an elder from Isukha community says.

Trainers and caretakers of the fighting bulls and fans are also prohibited from getting high before fights.

Austine Munase, the Chairman of the Kakamega Bullfighting Association, says fighting bulls hate alcohol. He explains that most bulls are fed on molasses mixed with special herbs making them stronger besides being drunk

“We have tried to understand why the bull hates a drunkard but we have come to conclude that the smell of alcohol, especially illicit brews, is closer to that of molasses. This irritates a bull who thinks the enemy is around and that is why most bulls fight back by attacking anyone drunk. be it its caretaker, trainer, or owner,” says Munase.

Some of bullfighting lovers, however, say molasses is mixed with marijuana and other feeds, and when a bull comes across or feels the smell of alcohol, it views the person as an enemy who wants to cause harm.