Renowned snake vendor dies after bite by poisonous snake

According to his wife, 38-year-old Abdallah Kalule saw a puff adder enter an anthill near their home and, as is his custom, went after it.

The deadly reptile bit him and slithered away during his mission, leaving him fighting the poison's reaction.

"As usual, he picked up a hoe and started excavating the big anthill. The digging took some time with the snake out of sight," said Mariam Nakyejjwe speaking to Daily Monitor on Tuesday.

Kalule's uncle, John Jjingo, added that their loved one's death has forced them to abandon their family tradition and seek alternative sources of income.

Kalule would hunt for snakes and mostly sell them off to traditional healers for Ksh.5,400 (Ush.150,000).

“Late Kalule had for a long time captured snakes some of which were bigger than the one that killed him. We cannot go on with such a risky business which can make us lose our life. We will concentrate on other ventures like growing tomatoes and maize,” said Jjingo.

A family member added that they inherited the tradition from their ancestors and that it has since been passed down to younger generations.