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Man attacked by lion in Kenyan capital cries foul

Michael Odori narrates his ordeal after he was attacked by a stray lion/MIKE KARIUKI

Michael Odori narrates his ordeal after he was attacked by a stray lion/MIKE KARIUKI

NAIROBI, Kenya, Mar 30 – “I was released from hospital prematurely before the due date; three days earlier to be precise. KWS were worried about my bill accumulation… I was in pain and weak but my financial capacity wouldn’t allow me to stay at the hospital,” Michael Odori, 63 revealed to Capital FM News this week.

“I tried to amend the decision, but to no avail. I even raised my concern with Dr Conrad Ouko who worked on my shoulder of which he recommended three more days, but all I was told I had to be discharged,” the father of 10 continued.

“I reside several kilometers from the hospital. I have to use public means of transport accompanied by my son despite my fragile condition. It is expensive. I was promised by KWS my welfare would be catered for, but from the day of my discharge, I have seen no one offer me such. Let alone check on my progress. I feel abandoned and disappointed,” he complained in the presence of his family.

When Capital FM News contacted KWS, Spokesman Paul Gathitu insisted that Odori was fit to be discharged on recommendation of his doctor.

“When we called the hospital to check on his status, we were told by his doctor he was stable enough to be discharged, we even wanted to organise for his transport back home. We are surprised he said he was discharged before the due date,” said the KWS spokesman at their headquarters.

“On his welfare, that can be discussed, I think it’s unfair to hold the organization on account to that where there is no provision. We are doing this on a humanitarian basis. We have done what we are meant to do, Michael has not raised that issue with us,” emphasized Gathitu.

“I am technician, my hands are everything. I have to be physically fit. Now that my shoulder is weak, I don’t know how I will feed my large family. I am the sole bread winner. But God will provide,” Odori said holding his chin looking to the ground.

Odori is a technician at Foton located on Mombasa road.

“Oh God! why is it that I meet such death,” are the words Odori, 63 years old, uttered when he saw lion’s teeth inches from his face.

Moments earlier at his bus terminus to work, he saw people running. Amid the confusion, Odori, whose three of his 10 children are adopted suddenly saw a lion two meters from him. His first instinct was to run for his dear life.

Before he could move a muscle the lion jumped on him.

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“I felt its left foot claw into my shoulder. Immediately we fell into a ditch,” Odori tells me at his home on the outskirts of Nairobi.

“With my eyes shut I went into prayer, seeking comfort from my God. As though my prayers were answered, I saw the lion retract its claws and it jumped out of the ditch. I couldn’t move. I was bleeding profusely. I felt alone, but could hear hooting from vehicles. I wondered if the lion was on a break, only to come eat me alive later,” The technician explained making facial expressions.

“You old man, gather strength and go seek help from GSU who were stationed near here,” he told himself while gathering strength to rise to his already shaken feet.

As he walked towards the GSU officers a short distance away, he pleaded with them for help. One of the officers told him that he heard a lion had killed a man. “I am not dead; I just need to go to hospital. I am victim of the stray lion,” Odori was quick to tell him.

The GSU officers opted to call an ambulance only for a KWS vehicle to come to his rescue. He was then rushed to JKIA hospital where he was given first aid and a tetanus injection.

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