Grief and Shock as Lioness Kills 14-Year-Old Girl in Kajiado’s Emakoko Village
Kajiado County
The horrifying lion attack in the Emakoko area near Nairobi National Park has left a family devastated and a community on edge after 14-year-old Peace Mwende was fatally mauled inside her home.
The shocking incident occurred on Saturday evening, April 19, when a lioness believed to have strayed from the national park breached a makeshift fence and stormed into the family’s compound.
Lioness Entered House Before Attacking Teen, Says Father
Peace's father, Kennedy Kigen, emotionally recounted the moments leading up to the tragedy. His three children were in one of the houses when the predator entered. “I heard loud screams from the homestead. When I ran outside, I was stunned to see my child being dragged away by a lioness,” he told reporters.
Despite desperate efforts to save her, the lioness managed to escape into the nearby wilderness with the child. The family and community members searched through the night, eventually locating her partially devoured body near a riverbank.
“She was found dead, and 80 percent of her body had been eaten,” said Charles Romo, a village elder who helped coordinate the search and rescue efforts.
Calls for Action as Human-Wildlife Conflict Escalates
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) confirmed that the lioness came from Nairobi National Park and entered the Savannah Ranch area bordering the park's southern edge. Authorities said investigations into how the lion breached the area are ongoing.
Local residents, still shaken, are demanding urgent action from both KWS and the government. They’ve called for the construction of an electric fence along the wildlife corridor stretching from Kitengela to Kajiado to prevent future intrusions.
Despite the fatal attack, videos shared online have shown the lioness still roaming freely in the region, sparking fears of more attacks. Residents now live in constant anxiety, with children kept indoors and movements restricted.
A Grim Reminder of Kenya's Wildlife Conflict Challenges
This latest tragedy once again highlights the ongoing tensions between expanding human settlements and the country’s rich wildlife. Nairobi National Park, while iconic for its proximity to the city, increasingly sees wildlife stray into residential areas as development encroaches upon natural habitats.
Peace Mwende’s death is a painful reminder of the consequences of inadequate wildlife management and the urgent need for sustainable solutions to balance conservation and community safety.
As the Mwende family prepares for burial, the community and the nation mourn a young life taken too soon—and push for change to ensure such heartbreak doesn’t strike again.
