Nine-month-old baby killed, mother injured in Kibwezi elephant attack

A nine-month-old baby girl has died following a suspected elephant attack near St. Anne’s Secondary School in Kiboko, Kibwezi West Constituency.

The incident occurred on Monday night, with the child’s mother among several people injured while attempting to rescue her. The injured were rushed to the hospital for treatment.

The mother, identified as Faith, was admitted to Makindu Hospital.

A witness, seen in an interview with a local outlet, described receiving an urgent call from residents in the area.

“I got a call at around 1 am from locals in Kiboko saying Faith had been attacked by elephants. When I arrived, I found the mother had been rescued and taken to Makindu Hospital, but the nine-month-old baby was already dead,” the witness said.

The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) reportedly deployed officers supported by helicopters to the scene in an effort to drive away a herd of elephants that had reportedly been roaming the area for weeks.

A relative of the family described Faith as a hardworking mother struggling to support her children and elderly mother, while calling for government intervention over repeated wildlife attacks.

“We have had issues with elephants before. This is not the first time; it is the second case. The government should act and support these people. We want justice,” the relative said.

Residents said the latest attack has renewed concerns over rising human-wildlife conflict in the area.

Chyulu Hills National Park and Tsavo National Park border communities in Kibwezi West Constituency have reported increasing elephant incursions in recent weeks, with herds destroying crops, damaging property and endangering lives.

The growing frequency of incidents has raised alarm among local farmers, who say repeated invasions are worsening food insecurity and insecurity across parts of Makindu and Kikumbulyu.

Wildlife experts say expanding settlements near protected areas and shifting land use patterns are driving elephants into human settlements in search of food and water.

Authorities are now working to remove the herd from residential areas while also addressing broader human-wildlife conflict concerns, including similar incidents reported in parts of Kajiado County.