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I helplessly watched as hippo mauled my friend to death

 

He flinches, recollecting his close shave with death. Not once, not twice, but three times.

I helplessly watched as my best friend was mauled to death by a ferocious hippo at the shores of Lake Naivasha; I could do nothing…it was an unscripted horror movie that was unfolding as l watched.

Thanking God to be alive, foot fisher Henry Lengilo spots permanent scars, a stark reminder of the moments he survived by the skin of his teeth.

Despite the mishaps, he always finds his way back to the dangerous waters, attributing it to lack of choices to eke a living. 

Last Saturday, he watched as his friend was being mauled to death by a ferocious hippo nicknamed by lake operators as “maskio” (ears).

The two were casting their nets at Kongoni area on the shores of Lake Naivasha when tragedy struck.

He could no nothing…too scared to move… His friend cried out for help, but the fisherman froze… He remained helpless.

The attack by the stealthy animal was swift, precise and lethal. The victim did not react.

“He was badly injured. His last words were inaudible. With assistance from a friend, we managed to get him out of the waters but, unfortunately, he did not survive,” says Mr Lengilo.

At that point, he goes quiet, heaves. “We are yet to bury him… he was an orphan married to an orphan. He was doing his best to provide for the family, but he is no more,” he mutters

“We were like Siamese twins, a brother, an accomplished footballer who pulled strings in the middle of the field. I was his fan,” he continues.

The magnitude of the incident is quite obvious during the interview. The fisherman swallows hard, reminiscing the moment they shared inside the chancy waters and on the field of play, celebrating an audacious goal by the Mizizi team that the victim played for.

“The lake was our only source of income. We were alive to the dangers but we had limited options. Both of us had young families that we worked hard to provide for but on that day, my friend was not as lucky,” adds Mr Lengilo.

The foot fisher himself survived by a whisker after being attacked by what he insisted was the same hippo. He suffered serious injuries on both hands and his left leg.

“I lost use of my two right fingers. I was also attacked in a similar manner but managed to dodge death. I was unwilling to get back to the risk waters but ran out alternatives,” he says.

Mr Lengilo suffered life threatening injuries and he walks with a limp, he is among the persons organising the burial of his companion and unsure of his next move.

“My friend only adds to the statistics of persons killed by hippos in Lake Naivasha. Many of my colleagues have also been maimed, suffering permanent disability,” he opens up.

Mr Lengilo claims that the death and maiming victims have been by the lone hippo (Maskio), affirming his assertions to recounts by survivors.

“It is a conspicuous animal roaming either on the edges of Lake Naivasha or deep ends. We have complained to the relevant authorities to track down the nocturnal animal but nothing much is happening,” he alleges.

Mr Lengilo says they are in the process of forming an association that will cater for the welfare of those who have been injured while plying trade in the freshwater lake.

“Some of them are depending on handouts for upkeep. It is a miserable life. I am also appealing to the county government of Nakuru to at least give us the requite documents and fishing a boat that will enable us to engage in legal fishing,” he pleads.

According to an official report released by the Kenya Wildlife Service officials in 2020, at least six fishermen were killed, and three others maimed by within a span of six months.

In the past one year, at least 20 people have been killed and many others left nursing injuries.

In June 2022, two fishermen were killed, with hospital records indicating that at least one person is attacked every month, with 80 per cent of the victims suffering permanent injuries.

“The bites are severe, and we have victims losing their limbs due to severity of the injuries,” said the medic at the health facility.

Within the same period a class seven pupil was attacked by the ferocious animals as he took a nap on the shores of the freshwater lake.

Inside lake Naivasha danger lurks but actors remain unmoved.    BY DAILY NTION    

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