The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and the Makongeni villagers in Juja convened a crucial meeting to discuss how to end the hyena menace that has terrorised residents.

In the meeting, it was agreed that prompt notification of any hyena seen in the area to KWS is a key strategy to end the problem.

“The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) team in Juja convened a crucial meeting with village elders in Makongeni to address the escalating hyena menace.

“During the discussions, both parties agreed to collaborate closely by promptly notifying KWS of any hyena sightings and providing essential information on hyena dens to ensure swift and effective intervention.

“This joint initiative reflects a unified commitment to addressing the challenges posed by hyenas and safeguarding the local community in Kiambu County. The meeting will be followed by the immediate rollout of a Nyumba Kumi sensitisation programme,” KWS said in a statement shared on its X handle on Saturday, September 14, 2024.

Pay to kill promise

The meeting comes days after area leaders threatened to pay residents to kill any roaming hyena. Githunguri Member of Parliament (MP) Gathoni Wamuchomba and her Juja counterpart George Koimburi vowed to pay residents Ksh20,000 for each hyena killed.

“We will start killing the hyenas and after that present their dead bodies to the relevant ministries. The youth will be given money to kill the hyenas. Every hyena killed will earn the killers Ksh20,000,” Wamuchomba said during a prayer service in Nyacaba village on Monday, September 9, 2024.

“Anyone who kills the hyenas will take home Ksh20,000. No one will question you for killing the killer animals. When an animal attacks you at your home, you have to defend yourself,” Koimburi said.

Warning from area MCA

“A time has come for us to take the law into our own hands. However much we build schools and hospitals here in Witeithie, unless we deal with the hyena menace, then we will be doing nothing,” Ngugi Mwibiri, the Witeithie Ward Member of County Assembly (MCA), stated.

Following the escalating cases of hyena attacks, Tourism Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano directed KWS to ensure no free-roaming animals are reported again.

“The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) personnel are on the ground to ensure no more lives are lost to wild animals. I have directed KWS to mop up all hyenas from the Juja area as fast as humanly possible and demonstrate to the residents of the area affected that this will be a thing of the past after September 2024,” Miano said.