Residents of Imbirikani in Kajiado South implicated the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) for the killing of lions in the region. Speaking during an emergency meeting held by the Ministry of Tourism led by Cabinet Secretary Peninah Malonza on Sunday, May 14, the residents stated that they were forced to kill the lions because their plea to KWS over the lions killing their cattle did not bear any fruit
Led by Kajiado Governor Joseph Ole Lenku, they stated that the lions had on several occasions been released without warning to the community and therefore leaving them and their livestock in danger.
Additionally, they noted that the lions were not well fed forcing them to come to the community to hunt and find food, which was in most cases their cattle.
According to the locals, the stray cats had in a period of five months killed more than 200 heads of cattle and in the recent event, they were only trying to protect themselves.
They noted that if KWS would have restrained the animals and fed them well, any of the attacks would not have occurred.
“They are hungry because they are not fed. We are dealing with an accident from people who have a lion orphanage who release lions to the community without warning the community or preparing the lions,” the Kajiado governor stated.
A lion believed to have been the world's oldest in the wild was among the 10 lions killed by the herders in a period of one week.
5 suspects were arrested in connection to the killing of lions in the area.
CS Malonza held a meeting with the residents to find a solution for the conflict between the wild animals and the community.
In a statement on Sunday, May 14, KWS stated that the lions were killed by Maasai warriors after they killed 11 goats and a dog.
"The lions killed eleven goats and one dog last night. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident as over the last week, four other lions have been killed resulting to a total of ten lions killed in the Amboseli ecosystem,” the statement read in part. By Joy Kwama, Kenyans.co.ke
