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Wildlife prey on dead bodies
10/01/2008 09:51 - (SA)
Nairobi - Kenya's world-famous carnivorous wildlife - big cats and scavenger mammals and birds - may have made off with and devoured the bodies of human victims of recent post-election violence, says the Kenyan Red Cross.
"There are also an unspecified number of uncollected bodies due to accessibility difficulties, and it was feared the bodies may have been consumed by animals and birds of prey," said the Kenya Red Cross Society (KRCS) in a statement.
Aid workers feared that the Kenyan dead toll could overshoot at least 600 killed after they confirm the number of bodies in the bush mainly in the country's Rift Valley province, which hosted more than 80% of the 255 000 displaced.
The society said at least 1 300 people had been injured across the east African nation.
"The destruction and loss of property and crops worth millions of shillings have aggravated the situation since many people are affected and lack their means of livelihood," the statement added.
KRCS struggling to install water systems
It added: "The affected communities cannot buy commodities after business premises were completely destroyed. Government peace building efforts are yielding fruit as calm slowly returns in the violence plagued areas."
The KRCS said it was struggling to install water systems mainly in displaced people's camps in the Rift Valley towns of Nakuru, Molo, Cherengani and Kericho.
Much of the fighting took place in the Rift Valley province, home to a mosaic of tribes, and known as an "Arc of Fire" owing to repeated tribal fighting during electoral periods.
President Mwai Kibaki, while visiting the region on Wednesday, pledged to assist the displaced and deliver justice to the perpetrators of the violence in the country.
Foreign governments had intensified diplomatic efforts in order to keep Kenya from sliding into chaos. The crisis had damaged Kenya's safe reputation in an unstable region of Africa and hurt economic sectors including tourism and tea.
African Union chief John Kufuor was in the country to talk Kibaki and opposition chief Raila Odinga out of the crisis, spurred by allegations that the president rigged his way to victory in the December 27 polls.
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