Mother, daughter hospitalised with severe injuries after Hippo attack in Kirinyaga

The two sustained severe abdominal injuries during the Saturday evening attack, which occurred at around 7:30 p.m. near River Thiba as they were returning home to Gitoboto Village.

The victims, identified as Mary Thandi and her daughter Esther, were reportedly attacked after completing casual work in Kiumbu, where they had also purchased household items.

Speaking from hospital, Thandi recounted how the animal attacked them while two other people accompanying them managed to escape.

"We were going home to Gitoboto Village after casual labour in Kiumbu after buying household items when we encountered the hippo. Two people managed to escape but I and my daughter Esther, 15, were attacked," she said.

Residents who rushed to the scene described a difficult rescue operation, saying they were forced to confront the animal and throw stones at it to free the victims.

"We had a very difficult time fighting the hippo and throwing stones at it after it attacked the two," said resident Hillary Mugweru.

The mother and daughter were rushed to Kimbimbi Dispensary for first aid before being transferred to Kerugoya Referral Hospital for specialised treatment.

According to Grace Kihara, a health worker at Kiumbu Health Centre, the teenager sustained more serious injuries than her mother and was transferred to Kerugoya ahead of her.

"The daughter who was seriously injured was first taken to Kerugoya alone, then her mother followed," Kihara said.

The incident has renewed concerns among Mwea residents over increasing cases of human-wildlife conflict involving hippopotamuses along River Thiba.

Residents cited several previous attacks, including one on May 30, 2026, in which Fredrick Warui from Kagondo reportedly died after sustaining internal injuries.

They also recalled an incident on May 26 involving 43-year-old Peter Kariuki, who narrowly escaped death following an attack in Kiumbu, and another in April in which 52-year-old Simon Gichuki was attacked in Gakungu.

Locals have accused the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) of failing to adequately address the threat posed by hippopotamuses, which they say have also been destroying crops.

KWS officers from Embu reportedly visited the scene on Saturday night and assured residents that efforts would be made to trace the animal.

Residents are now calling for urgent intervention to prevent further attacks and protect communities living near River Thiba.