Bee crisis lingers as Nakuru waits for authorities to act

The issue of bee attacks has become a persistent concern for Nakuru residents, leaving many wondering—who is actually responsible for the safe removal or extermination of these swarming creatures?

Tragically, Caleb Boit, a 32-year-old man, lost his life on May 12 after being attacked by a swarm of bees while walking home in Kiamunyi.

In another heart breaking case last year, on June 4, 93-year-old Joram Njagi died after being attacked by bees near Gilani’s Supermarket.

Prior to his death, Mtaa Wangu had reported a story about the bees terrorizing residents in the heart of the city. These attacks happened near Tower One, along the route leading to the KCB Bank.

Pedestrians shared stories of being stung unexpectedly while passing through that area. The bees had made a pole where CCTV cameras are mounted their home.

A spot check done by Mtaa Wangu just yesterday revealed that the hive is still there, posing a real danger to passers-by.

Speaking to Mtaa Wangu over the phone, Sarah Karimi, a Beekeeping Officer with the County Government, explains that there is no clear policy outlining how such situations should be handled.

“Whenever we have an incident involving a bee attack, or even just a sighting of a swarm within the city and its outskirts, we usually take a multi-sectoral approach,” she says.

“We involve the Kenya Wildlife Service, Kenya Forest Service, the county’s agricultural department, and disaster management teams. Together, we consult on the best way to handle the situation.”

Sarah notes that her department typically deals with domestic bees, while the bees involved in these tragic incidents are considered wild.

However, because of her team’s expertise, they’re often called upon to advise on how best to manage the wild bee situations.

On the bees in the CCTV pole, Sarah says, “We recommended to the Chief Officer for Agriculture that the CCTV cameras should first be removed. After that, the pole would need to be cut down and the bees exterminated. That’s the only way to safely remove them from that location.”

Mtaa Wangu however questions why this has not been treated with the urgency it deserves seeing as a life has already been lost.