Multimedia University Students Protest Hyena Attacks, Paralyze Magadi Road, Urgently Call for KWS Action
The situation in the area had become dire, not only resulting in human casualties like Kelvin but also claiming domestic animals.
Prime pulse press
By Brenda Gitonga, Nairobi
Traffic on Magadi Road was paralyzed on Tuesday morning, leading to a halt in studies at the Multimedia University of Kenya.
Students took to the streets to protest marauding hyenas, blocking the busy road with burning tires and stones, demanding answers from Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) regarding their safety.
The protest ensued after a hyena attacked a student, Kelvin Mwenda, who suffered severe injuries to his eyes and hands while returning home from school along Masai Lodge Road.
The enraged students sought the rewilding of the hyena and urged KWS to implement lasting measures to address the escalating attacks threatening their safety.
Local authorities intervened later in the day, bringing the situation under control. Multimedia University of Kenya, neighboring KWS, faced challenges in managing animals like baboons and warthogs raiding the premises, with students claiming baboons entered hostels and the compound in search of food.
The situation in the area had become dire, not only resulting in human casualties like Kelvin but also claiming domestic animals.
Hyena attacks had been on the rise in Juja, Kiambu County, prompting Kiambu leaders to request a Senate summon of KWS officials over reported deaths and their perceived lack of responsibility.
Hyena attacks in Juja date back to 2021, with incidents like a gruesome attack in June 2021 where a drunk man was consumed entirely.
In February 2022, Juja residents threatened legal action after three people were mauled to death by killer hyenas. The pattern continued with a grade 3 pupil in September 2022, a woman in December 2023, and a ten-year-old boy in January 2024, all falling victim to hyena attacks in various villages within Juja.
