More than 11 buffaloes have been murdered by angry Bura residents in Mwatate constituency on Friday after they strayed from the Taita Hills conservancy and destroyed crops in their farms.

Eight people were injured by the hungry buffaloes in search of water and pastures before the residents pounced on them with machetes.

The revenge killings were prompted by KWS authorities laxity in driving back the animals to the protected area despite calls by residents.

Maktau ward Councillor Flumence Mshila blamed the KWS for sleeping on their job. "KWS have failed in their duty of managing wildlife. They have been delaying to respond to our calls whenever we call them to remove animals which have invaded our farms but when we called them yesterday to inform them that buffaloes were being killed, they came immediately," said Mshila.

Mshila said that over 300 buffaloes had invaded the area and imposed a curfew. He said learning has been paralyzed by the marauding wildlife in the area. Last week, residents in the same area closed the Voi Taveta road after a herd of elephants invaded their farms.