Grazing of livestock along Narok- Mai Mahiu highway banned

Cattle roaming in Narok town. [Robert Kiplagat]

Narok County security committee has banned grazing of livestock along the Narok- Mai Mahiu highway to avert the knocking down of livestock that has led to protests by pastoralists.

The committee chair who is also the area County Commissioner Evans Achoki has warned that cattle crossing at undesignated crossing point will be seized and their owners prosecuted.

“We have witnessed this crucial highway being blocked by demonstrating livestock keepers anytime their livestock gets hit by vehicles. Barricading of this highway is uncalled for and we want it to end,” said Mr Achoki.

The administrator who met the Narok East sub-county security committee in identifying places where the cattle crossing signage will be erected along the busy highway, said many livestock have been hit and killed along the highway due to reckless crossing of livestock.

He said the Kenya National Highways Authority(KeNHA) will erect the road signs as well as putting bumps where necessary to curb accidents in known accident blackspots along the highway.

“We have realized that the highway has very few road signs thus leaving livestock keepers and pedestrians vulnerable to accidents. We want to ensure that accidents are reduced along this road especially during this festive season,” said Mr Achoki.

The County commissioner’s announcement comes barely a month after Narok East MP Lemanken Aramat called on the government to put the bumps along the highway to curb the rampant hitting of livestock.

“Most of the highway passes through my constituency. My people are pastoralists and depend on livestock for livelihoods. It is unfortunate that hardly a month passes without at least 20 cattle being killed by speeding vehicles,” said Mr Aramat.

He lamented that his constituents were at risk of living in poverty should the government continue ignoring the resident’s plea.

Mr Achoki has however said that a joint committee involving local elders, chiefs and the security team has been formed to promptly address such incidences.

“We do not want any demonstrations over killed livestock anymore. The special committee will be tasked with arresting the vehicle that will hit livestock and take it to the police station where negotiation on compensation will be done,” he added.  

He said they have agreed with leaders from Narok Kajiado and Nakuru County that there shall be no more blocking the highway since the road is international as it connects Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania and other regional countries.


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