KAJIADO, Kenya – Kajiado and Nakuru counties are mourning after deadly wildlife attacks claimed the lives of two residents this week, highlighting the growing human-wildlife conflict near Kenya’s national parks.
In Kibiko, Kajiado County, a group of women returning from a local market was attacked by a herd of elephants on the night of December 22, 2025.
Kipatana Koidurri, 32, was killed in the incident in the Oldepe/Entashata area, while two other women sustained injuries but managed to escape.
Authorities from the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and police secured the scene and transported Koidurri’s body to a mortuary pending an autopsy.
In a separate incident in Naivasha, Nakuru County, 73-year-old John Kiiru Gichemi was found dead on the roadside in the Morendat area on December 23 after being attacked by a buffalo.
The animal fled the scene before authorities arrived. Police and KWS advised the families of the victims to file compensation claims under the government’s Human–Wildlife Conflict Compensation Programme.
These incidents follow similar attacks earlier this month, including the death of a female teacher in Magadi, Kajiado County, who was killed by an elephant near her home.
Kenya’s government has been implementing initiatives to mitigate such conflicts, including the Wildlife Conservation Card, launched by President William Ruto in May 2025.
The card, developed in partnership with KCB Bank, allows Kenyans and international supporters to contribute to conservation efforts, with a portion of every transaction funding the Wildlife Conservation Trust Fund.
“Compensation is justice, but prevention is progress,” President Ruto said at the program’s launch, emphasizing the need for fencing, community-led tourism, and other strategies to reduce human-wildlife clashes.
As wildlife increasingly encroaches on residential areas, authorities continue to urge vigilance and adherence to safety protocols near parks and wildlife corridors.
