Woman killed by hippo while returning home from market
What you need to know:
- The victim was returning home from Gikuru market when she was fatally attacked.
- Area residents blame Kenya Wildlife Service for failing to control wildlife.
A woman was mauled to death by a hippo on Sunday night at Makima village in Embu County.
The victim, Justa Ndengi, 27, was returning home from Gikuru market when she was fatally attacked.
Residents who responded to the distress calls found the victim lying in a pool of blood and reported the incident to the police.
The body was later taken to Embu Referral Hospital Mortuary.
According to area residents, the hippo emerged from Thiba River and attacked the woman.
"The victim screamed for help and we ran to the scene but found her already dead," one of the residents, Mr Ndunda Mutua, said.
The residents complained that hippos have been killing residents and blamed the Kenya Wildlife Service of failing to control the animals.
"Hippos are a big menace to us but the KWS is doing nothing to address the problem," added Mr Mutua.
The area MCA, Philip Nzangi threatened to mobilise villagers to protest if KWS fails to manage the animals.
"We are losing lives to hippos and KWS should urgently intervene lest we take to the streets in protest," he said.
Mr Nzangi demanded that the KWS compensate the family of the slain woman.
