RESIDENTS of Athi River in Machakos county yesterday scrambled for meat after a speeding trailer knocked a giraffe on the Nairobi-Mombasa Highway.

Armed with knives and pangas,the residents set upon the animal cutting off chunks of meat and taking it away near the Prima Rosa flower farm in Athi River.

It took less than an hour for the residents to cut up the giraffe and cart away the meat. "Some motorists stopped at the scene and emerged with simis and pangas to help themselves to the meat," an eyewitness told the Star at the scene. The driver of the trailer, who knocked down the giraffe shortly before 8am as it crossed the road, did not stop.

Although, there is no visible human settlement in the area which is an expansive plain, the news of free giraffe meat attracted scores of villagers from far. They came armed with knives,pangas and sacks for the unexpected meat. By the time late afternoon, the KWS rangers had not arrived at the scene where the only evidence that the giraffe had been knocked down were little pieces of flesh, bowels, skin and blood. An estimated two giraffes are killed monthly on the Mombasa Road by speeding motorists especially in the mornings as the animals cross the road to seek water on the other side.