Lukenya assistant county commissioner Elizabeth Karitu addresses the public during Jamhuri Day Celebrations at Kalusya in Mavoko, Machakos County on December 12, 2017. (Photo/Maugo/hivisasa.com)
Residents from Kamulu in Mavoko, Machakos County are living in fears of being attacked by wild animals roaming the area.
They said there was increased wildlife/human conflicts in their locality making them have sleepless nights.
The locals said leopards eat people and livestock in the area.
They spoke during Jamhuri Day Celebrations at Kalusya in Lukenya Division on Tuesday.
The residents also complained of hippos which they claimed destroy their crops frequently.
They said the situation had rendered most of them poor after they lost their livestock and crops to wild animals.
The locals called for the state’s speedy intervention to avert the situation.
Lukenya assistant county commissioner Elizabeth Karitu said she will raise the issue with officers from the Kenya Wildlife Services for urgent intervention.
Karitu warned residents who invite Maasai herders into grazing fields which belong to individuals in the division.
She said there had been lots of complaints from the locals on their farms being invaded and crops destroyed by the Maasai cattle.
“There are many of such complaints in this area, let’s not allow the cattle to unlawfully come into private land to destroy crops and other property,” said Karitu.
Karitu said some of the herders did not have legal permits for moving their livestock.
She said such petty conflicts should seize to allow her office handle development matters.
Karitu said onlylocals with more than one hundred acres of land should allow the herders to move cattle into their farms.
She told the residents to coexist peacefully and focus on personal growth and development.