Conflict in the north is not just about resources, there’s more

Scenes in Rumuruti town, Laikipia County on September 14 after groups of pastoralists and farmers clashed following invasion of illegal herders into private homes and ranches in the area. [James Munyeki, Standard].

The dire security situation in Laikipia County is not only about resources.

Laikipia’s problems are symptomatic of the situation in many of the arid and semi-arid counties. The pastoralist communities have not only become victim of their environment, but also other issues that have cropped up in recent times. Drought, even though more frequent nowadays, has been a common occurrence for centuries.