Writes Leo Odera Omolo In Kisumu City.
A fisherman is recuperating at the New Nyanza General Hospital, Kisumu after he was attacked by a ferocious crocodile while fishing in Lake Victoria.
The incident occurred at Omia Mwalo village in Central Asembo Location, Rarieda Constituency, Rarieda district within Bondo County.
Maurice Ouma Omire had gone fishing along the lake’s shoreline when the reptile struck and tried to drag him away deep into the lake. His colleague braved the attack and hit the crocodiles head repeatedly until the animal disentangled from the jaws of the animal. The victim sustained injuries – – a badly devoured and damaged leg. The cases of wild animals attacking and even killing residents along the shoreline of Lake Victoria are on alarming increase. On the neighboring Rusinga Island, there is a record of attack by Hippos reported of having killed five people within the last two years.
Experts say the Hippo have become more wild and ferocious following the disappearance of green pasture which they usually feeds on.
There have been numerous reports whereby Hippo have attacked domesticated animals and even killed cows along River Kuja, which is the natural boundary between Ndhiwa and Uriri constituency.
An Assistant minister for Internal Security Joshua Orwa Ojode, is amongst the victims. He had lost two cows killed by crocodile when his herds of cattle ware taken for watering in Kuja River. The river traverses the MP’s farm and it is only a kilometer from his Unga village home in East Kanyamwa/South Kabuoch location boundaries.
Coun, Adongo of East Asembo called upon the government and KWS officials to combat the area and to ensure that hippos and crocodiles are driven away. A clause in the Kenya Wildlife Services Act stipulates that any citizen attacked, injured or killed by wild animal is entitled for compensation But in another not related incident, two young boys who were early this month attacked and injured by crocodile in Mwingi district, will not be paid compensation, and the KWS official argued that the boys had stayed into a game reserved conservancy area.
The two boys aged, between 16 and six years old, were savagely attacked by a killer crocodile while watering their goats in a place called Ikome. The boys, two brothers had strayed into the crocodile infested Tana River two weeks ago. The newspaper have quoted the KWS officer in-charge of the Mwingi North district Mr Fredrick Owino said that the boys had broken the law by venturing deep into the game park, a restricted areas.
Owino who previously was in-charge of KWS station in Tseikuru said the attack happened in a restricted area thereby denying the victim of any compensation payment.
The government, he said, cannot pay compensation to people who encroached deep into the game reserves. He cited a man who in 2009 was killed by a Jumbo {Elephant} in the same area was never paid compensation.
“This is a clear case, that anyone who ventured into game animals infested areas and get injured or killed are considered as the offender and therefore deserves no compensation payment.
The two brothers were Mwangani Mtunga 15 and his younger brother Mutia. They miraculously escaped at the jaws of a ferocious killer crocodile and were hospitalized for two weeks. Their father had already lodged a letter seeking compensation for his school going sons. The incident occurred on April 9, 2011. Mutunga is a standard two pupils at Ikome Primary School, while his younger brother is attending a nearby nursery school.
Ends