Three morans killed in gun fire exchange with wildlife rangers

Three morans were shot dead early Thursday morning in a gunfire exchange with rangers at Samburu National Reserve.

The morans were part of a group that had raided the ranger’s station to free four women who were being held after they caught around the precincts of the reserve in Loruko sub location at the Samburu-Isiolo border along River Ewaso Nyiro.

The reserve is located adjacent to Samburu Lodge at the Archers post.

The women and girl were apprehended as they cut trees for firewood.

However, immediately after the arrests, a confrontation ensued after a group of morans stormed the reserve to forcibly free the women.

"Our motive was only to question, warn and free them, but within a few minutes, war had ensued when the group attacked my team,” said Samburu National Reserve security warden Gabriel Lepariyo.

Ms Nolmong'i Lepeta, Ms Machungwa Lekodei and Nol Mugein Lolparasoroi who were in custody of the rangers said they had gone to look for pasture for their goats within Samburu Reserve when they were put in custody by the game rangers. One of the women had a four-month-old baby.

The conflict is said to have been fuelled by the drought being experienced in parts of the county as desperate locals search for pasture for their livestock.

Two of the morans were killed on the spot, while the third one died at the Isiolo Referral Hospital. Two more were critically injured and are also admitted at the same facility. One escaped unhurt.

The rangers claimed the about 15 youths were armed with spears and guns. But the morans denied the allegations that they had attacked the rangers in their office.

The women were set free after the shootout. They had taken cover under the office cabinets, tables and chairs during the fierce gun battle that left most of the buildings in the compound with bullet holes.