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Naivasha family seeks help to recover body of fisherman suspected to have been killed by wild animals

Basil Odongo, the cousin of Vincent Okoth Ataro, who is believed to have been attacked by wildlife on March 28.

Photo credit: LELETI JASSOR/MTAA WANGU
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By  LELETI JASSOR

Correspondent

Mtaa Wangu

A family in Naivasha is appealing for support from the government to find the remains of their kin who is suspected to have been attacked by a wild animal at Lake Naivasha.

The 46-year-old Vincent Okoth Ataro is believed to have been attacked on March 28 while escaping the wrath of the Coast guards while fishing in the lake.

According to different witnesses, the coast guards were narrowing in on him before he ran into a nearby bush, where he encountered a wild animal believed to be a buffalo that attacked him, leaving him injured.

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The fisherman is believed to have later on mauled by hyenas which may have found his injured body 

Another witness says they called him twice, and he said he was coming. On the third call, he did not respond and his colleagues continued with their fishing activities, assuming he would join them later.

When they returned home to Kasarani, they realized he was missing and the following morning, they went back to the spot where they usually leave their clothes before entering the water, and found that his clothes were still there - an indication that he had never returned from the lake.

According to the cousin, Basil Odongo, the police were able to recover a pair of shorts and a shirt stained with blood and covered in bite marks, which are suspected to have been caused by a wild animal.

"We expect the police to send them for further processing, but we also request government assistance in helping us find the remains of our beloved cousin so as to get closure," he says.

BMU chairman addressing the media

Photo credit: LELETI JASSOR/ MTAA WANGU

This is not the first time fishing community is facing ongoing human-wildlife conflict as other cases have been reported before.

"This is not the first time, a while back a hippo killed six youths in Karagita. It is unfortunate that these incidents keep happening and are quickly forgotten with no action," laments a resident who emphasized on the need for community and KWS to forge a way forward for the fishing community.