Why Shikuku's advice to pastoralists caused outrage

Veteran Butere MP Martin Joseph Shikuku riding a bicycle in Nairobi in 1969. [File, Standard]

When a self-declared people's watchman is tasked with protecting Kenyans and their camels from bandits, the results can be hilarious.

Veteran Butere MP Martin Joseph Shikuku found himself in unfamiliar territory when a gang of 30 heavily armed bandits struck a village in Merti, Samburu on January 22, 1970, at noon and stole 91 camels.

It took five days for the raid to be reported to the police and by that time, the raiders and the camels had long vanished. When the matter reached Parliament by way of a question by Samburu West MP JK Lenayiarra, the government had to respond.

On April 28, 1970, Shikuku, the Home Affairs assistant minister, responded. He drew angry reactions from members when he said it was impossible to defend the Samburu from bandits because of their nomadic nature. He insisted that it would be better if they informed the police when they ran out of pasture.

"It is difficult to plan preventive measures against raids of this nature because in their nomadic way of life, the Samburus move from place to place and they do not give advance information of where they shall be at any particular time," Shikuku argued.

When pressed by agitated MPs to explain whether this was an admission by the government of its inability to protect the pastoralists, Shikuku added more fuel to the raging debate

He retorted that even if the government was to establish police stations at the border of Baragoi and Merti as had been suggested by some MPs, this still would not solve the problem.

"Mr Speaker Sir, when the members talk of putting a police station at Merti, I am sure they would agree with me that the raiders do not necessarily pass through a police station. A police station can be at Merti or at Baragoi but there will be no police stations everywhere and so the raiders will come through. They do not have to come to the police station anyway."

Eldoret South MP CC Murgor wondered why chiefs and their assistants in affected areas could not alert the police whenever families moved so that the police could offer protection.

"The problem here is that we are usually not told they moved and then we hear they have been raided. By the time we move in, the raiders are gone. If the chief or any other person could inform the police that they are moving East or West, then we will arrange for the necessary protection."