By Andrew Mbuva
Residents of Kantafu, located along Kangundo Road, are up in arms over a private developer who they say is endangering their lives by drying hides and skins in an open field near their homes.
The practice has reportedly attracted dangerous wild animals—particularly hyenas—that now roam the area during the night and early morning hours.
According to concerned locals, the stench emanating from the hides is overwhelming and has begun affecting the respiratory health of children at Kantafu Primary School, which sits just next to the site.
Despite numerous complaints to relevant authorities—including NEMA, the Deputy County Commissioner, the county government, and local police—no action has been taken, leaving the community feeling abandoned and unsafe.
One parent recently had to intervene when a group of school children were chased by hyenas at around 6 a.m. while walking to school.
Residents say a cow and a pig have already fallen victim to the predators, drawn to the area by the strong smell of rotting animal hides.
The community is now calling on the investor, said to be of Somali origin, to relocate his operations to a more suitable and less populated area, arguing that no economic activity should come at the cost of human lives.
Photo Courtesy Roelof Bezuidenhout.
