Police grills Mathew Lempurkel over Laikipia clashes
Laikipia North MP Mathew Lempurkel (left) is escorted to Nanyuki Police Station cells by CID officers on March 7, 2017. PHOTO | MWANGI NDIRANGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The MP was arrested as he prepared to address the media over the insecurity in Laikipia.
- Some leaders have been blamed for inciting locals to invade farms, ranches and wildlife conservancies, to graze their livestock.
- British High Commissioner to Kenya Nic Hailey challenged the government to restore law and order in Laikipia.
- Pastoralists in Laikipia claimed that the huge tracts of land owned by ranchers was their ancestral land.
Laikipia North MP Mathew Lempurkel has been arrested barely a day after the British called on the Kenyan government to beef up security in Laikipia County where its citizen was killed by herders on Saturday night.
The legislator, who spoke to the Nation on Tuesday moments after being held briefly at the CID headquarters, Nairobi, said he was being transferred Nanyuki CID where, he expected to be told the reasons for his arrest.
The MP was apprehended as he prepared to address the media over the insecurity in Laikipia where some leaders have been blamed for inciting locals to invade farms, ranches and wildlife conservancies, to graze their livestock.
Mr Tristan Voorspuy, a dual Kenyan/British national, was found dead at the Sosian ranch which he co-owns, after he reportedly ventured out on a horseback to visit a site on the ranch where two cottages had been set ablaze.
In a statement to newsrooms on Monday, the British High Commissioner to Kenya Nic Hailey challenged the government to urgently restore law and order, and to protect life and property in the area.
He said he had in the past months repeatedly conveyed to the Kenyan authorities the United Kingdom’s deep concern at the situation in parts of Laikipia.
Many of the pastoralists claimed that the huge tracts of land owned by ranchers, was their ancestral land.
But, Mr Lempurkel said some politicians have taken advantage of the lawlessness to target their opponents ahead of the August General Election.
“Political rivals are using the situation for political gain. The fact is that the herders are being driven by drought,” the MP said.
Instead, he accused the security personnel of making the already vulnerable situation worse by harassing the locals who are struggling to find food and water for their animals.
“The police are killing cows. They are burning houses and leaving women and children helpless,” the ODM legislator said.
