Stray buffalo injures one

KAYONZA- A 38-year old man is admitted at Rwinkwavu Hospital after a buffalo attacked and seriously injured him. Protegen Bihozuwariraga, was yesterday morning heading to his farm at around 6.00 am, when a buffalo charged and gored him in the chest and ribs, before trampling on him several times. Medics however, said he was out of danger. Local leaders and residents in the sectors of Kabare and Kageyo, complained of continued menace of stray animals from Akagera National Game Park. “We are always at risk...I recently survived when i ran into a buffalo was just feet away. We are so close to the park, animals come to eat our crops and end up killing people,” Alfred Ndahayo, a relative of Bihozuwariraga said. Gervais Nirenganya, the Executive Secretary of Kabare sector, told The New Times that stray animals pose a great danger to residents and appealed to authorities to urgently find a lasting solution. “It’s high time we ended this issue. It retards development, people walk around in fear and their crop production is low due to the animals,” he said. Meanwhile, in the neighbouring sector of Kageyo, two huge hippos that have taken residence in a man-made dam have scared away people in the community. Until yesterday, security officials were working out ways to send the animals back to the park. Jean Marie Habyarimana, the Executive Secretary of Kageyo confirmed the presence of the animals. “They come out of the dam at night. The dam was made to provide water for cows and people during dry periods,” he said. The population neighbouring Akagera National Park is waiting anxiously for it to be fenced. Ends