FROM THE ARUSHA NEWS REPORTER IN BABATI
A 13-year-old Standard Three pupil at Tarangire Primary School wa trampled to death by an elephant on Monday, August 17, 2026, while walking to school in Kakoi Village, Nkaiti Ward, Babati District in Manyara Region.
Accounts from the scene indicate that the pupil was travelling with others when they encountered the elephant. They tried to run after the animal began chasing them, but the child fell during the escape. The elephant then caught up with the pupil and trampled the child, causing fatal injuries.
The killing has renewed concern among residents of Kakoi and surrounding communities over frequent encounters with elephants and other dangerous wildlife moving through settlements and farmland near protected areas.
Following the incident, residents demanded stronger action from government and wildlife authorities to prevent further deaths. Some villagers initially resisted burial arrangements as they pressed authorities to deal with the elephant and improve protection for communities.
District officials later visited the area and called for intensified patrols and efforts to locate dangerous animals threatening the residents.
Kakoi lies within the wider Tarangire ecosystem where human-wildlife conflict has remained a longstanding challenge for communities living close to wildlife corridors and conservation areas, particularly during the dry season period.
