This archive report was first published on 24 June 2021.
On June 16, a middle-aged man from Kiandegwa in Mwea Constituency, Kirinyaga county, found himself in a precarious situation. He was trying to evade the area chief, who had accused him of peddling bhang.
As he fled, he accidentally lay on a snake hiding in the dry leaves, resulting in a severe bite to his thigh.
He was rushed to Kîmbîmbî hospital, where he was admitted for about five days before being discharged.
According to Peter Ngure, the administration official who accused him, the man had been hiding in a nearby bush when the incident occurred.
However, it is his daily activities that raise suspicion. The man has been catching snakes from the rice fields and taking them home for years.
He claims that this is a talent given to him by God, and that he has learned to trap and handle the animals over the years.
Residents of the area are shocked by the incident and are now requesting the Kenya Wildlife Service to hire the man, citing his unique talent and ability to entertain them by playing with snakes.
