Crocodiles in Lake Malawi in Traditional Authority (T/A) Nankumba’s area in Mangochi have gone on rampage, attacking and killing people and livestock in eight surrounding villages.
The latest victim, according to Group Village Head Matekwe, was 32-year-old Saizi Kandulu who was attacked and killed on March 8 this year when he went about doing his business along the shores.
He said the villagers contacted officials from The Department of Parks and Wildlife from Monkey Bay and on their arrival Saturday night on March 8, they hunted the crocodile and killed it around 1am on Sunday.
Said Matekwe: “After the crocodile was killed, the [The Department of] Parks and Wildlife officials cut its stomach open, and shame, they pulled out the deceased’s leg from it. It is very traumatic to the family and the rest of us.”
Matekwe said another crocodile attacked and killed a goat last Thursday.
He claimed the crocodiles, too hungry because they can no longer find fish in shallow waters, have killed at least 20 people, dogs, goats and cattle in the last three years.
Matekwe said villagers who use the lake for washing, bathing and fishing are afraid to go to the lake.
The chief said the villages affected include Simoni, Che Ntulo, Manzi, Khombe, Chirimba, Mbinda, Katole and Matekwe.
The chief said recent efforts to call Parks and Wildlife officials to kill the dangerous crocodiles yielded nothing because the response they were getting was that there was no funding for such operations.
But Tourism Minister Moses Kunkuyu, when asked to comment on the developments, said he needed to check with director of Parks and Wildlife.
