Nomadic herders have killed
wildlife and torched buildings but questions remain over the causes of the
violence
Thursday 2 February 2017
07.00 GMT Last modified on Thursday 2 February 2017 12.18 GMT
Thousands of heavily-armed
herders are invading conservancies, private properties and smallholdings in
Laikipia, one of Kenya’s most important wildlife areas, as they search for
pasture for their cattle.
Over the past couple of weeks,
about 10,000 nomadic herders, armed with automatic rifles and driving 135,000
cattle, have left a trail of destruction and chaos in the county, just three
hours drive from Nairobi. The herders have indiscriminately killed wildlife –
from elephants, giraffes, zebras and lions to family dogs. Residents have been
injured, some seriously. At least one person has been killed, according to
reports.
This is just the latest but most
serious clash between the herders and the residents of Laikipia, after a series
of incursions dating back at least a few years. This time private game lodges,
ranches and smallholdings owned by farmers are being targeted systematically.
David Mwaweu, who owns a small farm, said that armed herdsmen passed his way as
they marched towards private land where they have since been “stealing grass
for their cows”.
“When they came here they stole
half of my goats and their cows ate my fields,” he said.
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