Kenya Defence Forces deployed to quell attacks in Laikipia County

Kenya Defence Forces officers have been deployed to Laikipia County to end the escalating cases of inter community conflict that has seen hundreds of people flee the area.

Residents in Laikipia west have for the last one week been fleeing the region following attacks by their neighbours from Baringo County.

Over 500 heards of livestock have been stolen in the last one week. Most of the affected areas include Ol-Moran, Ngare Mare and OlMurutuny.

On Tuesday, county security team led by county commissioner Wilson Wanyanga visited the affected areas to analyse the situation and make sure that security was ensured.

He was accompanied by Governor Joshua Irungu, Laikipia North MP Mathew Lempurker and MCAs Peter Thomi (Githiga ward) and Jacob Edung (Sossian ward).

The security team has since given an ultimatum to all illegal pastoralists to leave the area.

Wanyanga said that the KDF together with the security officers will make sure that the grazers will be removed from the area as soon as possible.

"This is an alert to all people who are in this area without the required legal documents. We will not allow them to graze here while they cause havoc," he noted.

Tension is high in the region after armed bandits struck a village and stole 13 heards of cattle and 180 goats on Tuesday.

The over ten armed men stormed Mbombo village in Sossian ward and terrorized residents before making away with the herd.

This is the second incident this week after a similar one which saw 38 heards of cattle stolen.

During the last incident, the bandits stormed the home of James Kiprotich and terrorised his family before stealing the livestock.

According to a resident Benson Kamara, the men were armed with guns and other weapons.

"They struck at around 3 am and went direct to the cattle pen. Other gang members went to his houses and terrorised the family as the rest went away with the livestock," he said.

Kamara noted that neighbours who heard the commotion visited the home but the bandits shot several times in the air to scare them.

"We heard over ten gunshots, we got scared and ran away for our safety. Already, some people are leaving the area for fear of future attacks," he noted.

But in meeting on Monday, Wanyanga and Irungu assured the residents that the stolen livestock would be recovered by the security officers who had been deployed in the region.

"We have involved even the KDF to carry out this operation. This will be a milestone that will see cases of intercommunity violence end in this area," noted Governor Irungu.