State officials fingered in Laikipia ranch invasions

Some government officials in Laikipia County have been accused of instigating a spate of recent invasions of private farms, conservancies and ranches by herders searching for pasture.

The herders, suspected to come from neighbouring counties, are hiding in the Mukogodo forest in Laikipia North, said Laikipia County Commissioner Joseph Kanyiri.

“We know that there are senior government officials and politicians who have been persuading the herders to forcefully drive their animals (into) the private facilities. Wisdom should prevail so that we engage with each other peacefully,” Mr Kanyiri told the media at his Nanyuki town office.

“We have received many complaints that herders are driving thousands of livestock into private facilities at night. This has brought tough confrontations.

“The herders should appreciate that there is no free land in Laikipia. They should engage owners of the private ranches and conservancies on stipulated guidelines on grazing.”

The administrator has warned that the government will flush out illegal herders from the Mukogodo forest.

The herders are believed to be behind a series of bandit attacks in ranches, conservancies and farms surrounding the 74,000-acre forest.

Mr Kanyiri said security personnel would be deployed if the herders decline to move out of the forest with their livestock.

He argued that armed bandits use the thick forest as a base to terrorise locals in some parts of the county.

“We are reliably informed that the Mukogodo forest is harbouring criminals. It is a gazetted forest but not a grazing field. We know that some bandits steal livestock from neighbouring ranches and private firms and drive them into the forest,” Mr Kanyiri said.

Armed herders have been invading the Il Ng’wesi, Makurian, Mukogodo and Sieku community group ranches in search of pastures for their animals.

Laikipia Conservancies Association chairman Kip ole Polos appealed for a partnership between the government and locals to stop the invaders.

“There is growing pressure from invasion by pastoralists, especially on the eastern side of the Mukogodo forest, and this is threatening massive environmental degradation especially in the Lekuruki and Il Ng’wesi conservancies,” he said.

“That is why we are calling on security agencies to act swiftly.”

He said the invasions were threatening not only the tourism industry but also security, education and conservation efforts.

“Conservation is the key to pastoralist communities that live in Laikipia and if that is compromised, then things will be very tough for them,” he said.

Mukogodo Community Forest Association (CFA) chairman Wilfred Ole Mejoole called for the deployment of more rangers to protect the area from illegal herders.

“We have developed very good grazing plans as a CFA but we cannot implement them because armed invaders enter the forest with more animals than the pastures can sustain,” he said.

On Wednesday last week at around 12.30am, a police officer was shot dead and another injured when bandits raided the Mlima Jangili Camp in Kirima sub-county.

Mr Elisha Yegon Kibichi was shot in the stomach and died upon arrival at the Ndindika healthcare centre. Mr Daniel Ruto was shot in the leg and treated at the same facility before being referred to the Nyahururu healthcare centre.