A 55-year-old man tragically lost his life when he was fatally trampled by a solitary bull elephant in the Namelok area of Loitokitok, near Amboseli National Park. The incident occurred on Tuesday evening when the victim, accompanied by a younger man, was pursued by the elephant, which managed to repeatedly trample the older man. The Kajiado South subcounty police commander, Kiprop arap Ruto, revealed that the elephant had cornered the man, leading to his demise around 200 meters into a thicket. By the time Kenya Wildlife Service rangers arrived at the scene, the man was still alive but succumbed to his injuries upon reaching Loitokitok Sub-County Hospital.
Later that night, the second man was discovered emerging from the nearby bushes adjacent to Amboseli National Park. Commander Ruto cautioned residents of the Namelok area to avoid close proximity to solitary elephants and other wild animals, emphasizing the prevalence of elephants in the region.
In a separate incident at the junction of Amboseli and Loitokitok roads in Kimana town, a Probox car driver met a tragic end after being struck in the chest by a wooden pole. The driver was en route to Kimana town, while a Tuk Tuk transporting wooden poles was headed towards Loitokitok when the accident occurred on Tuesday evening. The impact of the pole piercing his chest caused the driver’s immediate demise. Commander Ruto announced that legal action would be taken against the Tuk Tuk driver for transporting wood without displaying the required warning sign, as mandated by the law.
Commander Ruto expressed concern over multiple complaints received regarding Tuk Tuk owners in Kimana and Loitokitok overloading wooden poles and driving recklessly, disregarding the safety of other road users. He vowed to address these issues and enforce traffic rules to prevent further loss of life.