Leaders claim killing of residents an eviction plot by Pokot raiders


Published on 18/09/2009

By James Munyeki

Samburu leaders have claimed the killing of 35 people on Tuesday was part of a plot to evict residents from a 6,000-acre ranch.

The land was bought in 2000 from the Government and each shareholder was allocated 50 acres, according to Samburu County Council Chairman Julius Leshinkiro.

Speaking during the mass burial of the victims, leaders alleged the Pokot were planning to evict them from the land to graze on it.

Samburu Anglican Church archbishop Jacob Lesuda said the raiders were not interested in stealing cattle, but wanted to cause deaths.

"Anyone claiming to own the land should do so legally. We have legal documents to claim the land ownership," he noted.

Leshinkiro said there have been attempts in the past to evict them but they failed. The attempts, he said were through victimisation of Samburu children, cattle rustling and neglect by Government authorities.

Not normal

He asked the Government to investigate the matter and not to assume it is normal cattle rustling which occasionally happens in the area. He argued that no animals were stolen during the incident contrary to media reports that more than 10,000 head of cattle had been stolen.

"We want this to be seen as a threat to the development of our community," he said.

Rift Valley PC Osman Warfa who toured the region accompanied by security officials ordered illegal communities out of the controversial PND land. "Investigations would be conducted to establish the legal owners," he said.

He said the Government would put up four police posts on the land adding that they had selected elders from the two warring communities to end the dispute.

Other leaders who accompanied him were Laikipia West DC Javern Sagelo, Samburu DC Thomas Macheneri, Laikipia North DC Amos Mariba and their Pokot East counterpart Mutuku Mwanga.

 


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