A 76-year-old man died on Wednesday after he was attacked by a swarm of bees.
Clement Ingubo, a resident of Nabiswa village, Kolongolo location in Kwanza Constituency was stung by a swarm of bees on his way home from the posho mill.
Confirming the incident, Kwanza Sub County Police Commander James Odera said the old man was not aware of the existence of the bees and could not run to safety because of his age.
“It is like the bees had been disturbed by a snake and got hostile that when the man passed nearby them, the bees that were on a tree stung him to death. Unfortunately, we lost an old man in such an unfortunate incident,” Odera said.
Area residents led by Isaac Makhanu, the village elder said Ingubo’s life would have been saved had he received immediate assistance from locals.
“A tragedy struck our village; we have lost a very calm old man who was going to prepare his supper. He was thoroughly attacked by bees; he could not run to safety and neither did he receive any assistance,” Makhanu said.
Appeal to support apiculture
Alice Lusweti, and John Barasa residents of Nabiswa also urged the county government of Trans Nzoia through the Department of Agriculture and Livestock to support them with beehives so that they can engage in apiculture.
“We border a forest and there are bees just loitering around. We need to utilize these insects by venturing in beekeeping and we therefore need the support of the county government to give us bee hives and capacity building on how to do it,” one of the locals said.
Eliud Tormoi, a beekeeper in Meteitei village of Kwanza constituency said the bees could have been agitated and resorted to attacking anybody and anything around.
“Bees are social insects and they don’t just attack for the sake of it. In this particular case, I am damn sure they had been provoked and the mzee became a victim of their hostility. It is good practice to not provoke bees at all times,” he urged.
The body of the elderly man has since been taken to Kitale County Referral Hospital morgue.
