A 14-year-old boy who disappeared while walking home in Nakuru County was found dead, mauled by wild hyenas in a chilling incident that has shaken the local community and renewed calls for better protection from roaming wildlife.
James Mwangi, a Grade 7 pupil from Sinendet Village in Njoro, went missing on the evening of Friday, 18 July, after visiting his mother at a nearby home. When he failed to return, his family reported him missing at Naishi Police Station.
Two days later, on Sunday morning, a farm worker stumbled upon torn school clothes in a maize field. Moments later, they discovered scattered body parts. Police and Kenya Wildlife Service officers were called to the scene, where investigators confirmed the worst fears.
“We found intestines and torn clothes. It was clear what had happened,” said Lewis Kiaraho, the area’s assistant chief. “We suspect hyenas dragged him into the field and attacked him during the night.”
Mwangi’s mother, Peris Wangui, broke down as she described the anguish of not finding enough of her son to bury.
“I just wish I could get more remains of him, which I can bury and get closure,” she said through tears. “He left me in the afternoon and promised to come back. That was the last time I saw my son.”
A Rising Threat
This is not the first attack in the area. Locals say hyenas have become bolder in recent months, often seen wandering during daylight and preying on livestock and now, tragically, children.
Locals have complained for years about the threat in safety of residents. They say the hyenas come from Lake Nakuru National Park. They’ve killed goats, cows, even dogs and even children.
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) was notified and deployed a team, but by the time they arrived on Monday, the hyenas had vanished. KWS has not issued a formal statement about the incident or ongoing plans to trap the animals.
Villagers are demanding faster response times and permanent solutions, including fencing the park boundaries and compensating affected families.
A System Under Strain
Under Kenya’s wildlife laws, families can claim compensation for deaths or injuries caused by wild animals. But many say the process is slow, unclear, and often ends without payout.
Wangui says she was unaware she could apply for compensation. “Even if they paid me, it wouldn’t bring James back,” she said quietly.
Local residents KWS action, the bare minimum because they visit the site for ten minutes after the worst has happened but the hyenas continue to terrorize the locals for the rest of the time.
A 2023 report by the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife showed over 600 reported cases of human-wildlife conflict in Nakuru County alone, with hyena incidents ranking among the highest. Despite this, funding for mitigation efforts remains low.
A Community in Mourning
The village is heartbroken over the death of James’s. The community continue to call the government and KWS to take action.
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