Police say that a major operation is ongoing in the area and they have driven away 500 camels from the fields near Mwingi as part of efforts to address the menace/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 23 – A suspect has been arrested and a gun recovered in ongoing operation at the Mwingi-Garissa-Tana River border where there has been clashes between communities over grazing fields that has left five people dead in the past three days.
Police say that a major operation is ongoing in the area and they have driven away 500 camels from the fields near Mwingi as part of efforts to address the menace.
This followed Sunday’s and Tuesday’s incidents in which five people were shot dead and five others wounded by suspected bandits in clashes.
Tension remains high in the region but the government has assured that it will conduct operations in the whole country to flush out illegal herders.
Speaking after a review meeting in Nanyuki with the ranchers and security team from Laikipia, Rift Valley Regional Coordinator Wanyama Musyambu said that the illegal herders from the neighbouring counties have been invading the ranches illegally in search of pasture due to the pro longed dry spell.
The coordinator also reported that they have deployed 200 police officers, 139 National Police Reservists and one armoured vehicle to counter the herders since they are armed with superior weapons.
“There is no land that is on sale but if there is any, it will be on a willing seller, willing buyer basis. However, as far as we know, there is no land on sale so nobody should just walk into anyone’s land and if there is any inciter, apart from the illegal grazers, we will deal with them,” he stated.
Laikipia Governor Joshua Irungu echoed similar remarks saying his government and the national government will not relent until all the illegal herders are flushed out from the ranches.
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