This archive report was first published on 12 September 2019.
September 12, 2019, marked a tragic day for the Njuguna family in Komo village, Thika. Joseph Njuguna, a family member, was killed by a hyena, leaving behind a trail of torn clothes and a haunting question: what to do with the remains?
According to Fredrick Kahuha, Joseph's brother, the police asked the family to keep the remains at home, citing high mortuary charges due to the prolonged case. The family was told to 'keep the rest of the bones in our house to avoid high mortuary charges because the case would take a bit long,' as advised by the then OCS.
Three years have passed since the incident, and the family is still waiting for the remains to be returned. The Kenya Wildlife Services (KWS) officers who carried the deceased's head to the government laboratory in Nairobi have not returned it since. The family's request to KWS has fallen on deaf ears.
'I have had sleepless nights since then, I don't sleep when I remember my son, especially when I see those remains,' said Margaret Njeri, Joseph's mother, in a heart-wrenching statement.
The family's ordeal is not an isolated incident. Area residents have been complaining about increased attacks from wild animals in the area, with children having to be escorted to and from school due to fear of being attacked.
Wildlife experts have warned of increased human-wildlife conflict due to the dry spell displacing animals from their natural habitat. The Kenya Wildlife Services has asked the family to write an official letter to the Director General, following protocol, to resolve the matter.
