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Fear as baboons invade kitchens in Kenya
Posted: Saturday July 18, 2009 10:42 AM BT
Baboons and monkeys are invading people's homes and taking away food from kitchens as rain failure continues. Indeed, residents of Nakuru Town near Lake Nakuru National Park are now living in tear following the constant invasion by baboons into their homes.
Baboon
Residents of Racetrack, Lake View, Mwariki and parts of Free Area Estate are now asking the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) to intervene.

Prolonged drought
Following the prolonged drought, the animals have been invading the estates in search of food as most of the trees and vegetation have been affected by the dry spell.

The animals arc also suffering following a severe shortage of water as most of the water points in the park have dried up.

River Ndarugu and other seasonal rivers feeding the park have since dried up, worsening the problem.

Those who spoke to the Nation said the situation had become so bad that the animals were now invading their kitchens at will and taking away food.

"Our kitchens are no longer safe, because the baboons are now calling the shots, and once they are inside, they take away all our food," said Ms Agnes Ndasaba, a resident of Race Track.

She said they were living in fear, and women and children could no longer go about their daily chores for fear of being attacked by baboons.

A senior area KWS official who requested not to be named, said that following the drying up of rivers flowing to the park, the animals were feeling the effect of human destruc¬tion of the environment.

"The residents will continue to get these strange visitors until the situation improves at the park, The animals are also facing hunger and that is why they are invading homes," said the KWS official.

However, he promised to forward the residents' complaints to the relevant authorities before the situation gets out of hand.

Mother Nature
"We are fully aware of the problem, but since this is a mother nature problem, there is always a limit to what KWS can do, as this is a matter of life and death for both animals and human beings," the official said.

Elsewhere, a minister called for the acute water shortage in the country to be declared a national disaster.

Nairobi Metropolitan Development minister Njeru Githae said the most affected areas were towns.

Speaking to the Press after presiding over a prize-giving ceremot for St Agnes Boarding Primai School in Kirinyaga West Distric Mr Githae attributed the shortage prolonged dry spell and interference with main water towers.

He said water in rivers and dam had reduced to worrying level adding that the lives of the peopli were now threatened.

To survive, he said the Ministry of Water should start reserving water in dams, to be used during hare times.

"Much of the water that goes to the oceans should be dammed if we are to survive," he said.

Mr Githae also called on Kenyans to start harvesting rain water as a measure against water scarcity.

He said harvested water could be used for irrigation and drinking and Kenyans should wake up and embark on such a vital activity for their benefit.

Daily News July 18, 2009
 
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