Kilifi: Residents in Ganze decry elephant invasion of their farms

Residents of Ganze Constituency in Kilifi County have called on the government to put up an electric fence around the Tsavo East National Park, amid a spike in cases of elephant invasion.

The marauding elephants have caused panic in the area, following the death of a local.

“The recent incident has sparked fear among residents. The elephants also destroy crops in our farms,” a resident said.

The incident was reported in Myra-Chakwe village. The body of the deceased was taken to Kilifi Teaching and Referral Hospital Morgue.

Residents hoped the recent rains would drive the elephants back to the forest but this has not been the case.

According to Eunice Shungu, a farmer in the area, she has incurred losses of up to Ksh.300,000.

“I started a cassava farming project with my husband and have a client who had already paid us Ksh. 50,000 up front. The cassava was to be harvested at the end of the month but the elephants floored the plantation,” Shungu said.

Kafedha Kazungu Maitha, a resident of Jitume village added that her farm has been turned into a grazing field.

“I planted cassava in my farm three times but it was all destroyed. I reported the matter to KWS and was told to go to the office at Arabuko Sokoke, but I cannot afford the fare to get there,” Maitha added.

Following the recent developments, schools in Ganze have changed the reporting times with parents calling on the government to move with speed and avert further crisis.