Families displaced by terror attacks in Lamu county that recently left five people dead and six houses torched have suffered yet another loss after wild animals destroyed more than 10,000 acres of crops.
The residents mostly from Salama, Juhudi, Marafa, Mashogoni, Widho, Mavuno, Poromoko, and surrounding villages have been taking refuge at the Juhudi Primary School camp, particularly every evening since the June 24, 2023, al Shabaab night raids in Salama and Juhudi villages.
During the attacks, more than 60 heavily armed terrorists dragged people from their houses and tied them with nylon ropes on their legs and hands from behind before slitting their throats.
By Sunday, the number of households spending the night at Juhudi Primary School had reached 207.
Speaking to the Star, residents complained that sleeping at the camp at night has paved the way for monkeys, buffaloes, birds, and other wild animals to take charge of their farms and feast on their crops.
More than 10,000 acres of crops, mostly maize, sorghum, millet, simsim, and beans among others have been destroyed by the wildlife within the two weeks that the families have lived in the camp.
Lucy Kinyanjui, a resident of Widho, revealed that they have lost more than 5 acres of crops to wild animals.
“My maize, millet and simsim were almost ready before the insecurity incidents began. I was about to harvest," Kinyanjui said.
"Now that I live at the camp every night, my farm has now been turned into a feasting joint by wild animals who seem to take over once I am out. Almost all my five-acre farm has been destroyed."
Residents expressed fear that a hunger crisis is looming if nothing is done to guard the remaining crops from wild animals.
Mwangi Gakuya said almost all of the people residing at the Juhudi Primary School camp might not get any harvest unless something is done.
“We don’t sleep in our homes once night falls. My appeal to the state is that security officers, among them the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), consider guarding our farms at night once we move to the camp to prevent any further destruction by the wildlife,” Gakuya said.
Sirya Kazungu told the government to compensate the IDPs for the losses incurred so far.
“The wild animals are really having a feast on our farms and they do it at night. We appeal to the government to compensate us for the damage caused by wild animals on our farms as we’re away at the camps,” Kazungu said.
