Residents block Nyeri – Nyahururu road over grazing dispute
Former IDPs block the Nyeri - Nyahururu road protesting against illegal grazing by members of Samburu herders from Laikipia County on October 4, 2015. PHOTO | MARTIN MWAURA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The residents who were formerly internally displaced persons (IDPs) were protesting that the Samburu community has been grazing their cattle in their farms during the night armed with arrows and spears.
- According to the residents, the Samburu herders from the neighbouring Rumuruti village have been harassing and threatening them anytime they try to put up a defense.
Residents at Wiyumiririe in Nyeri blocked the Nyeri - Nyahururu road in protest against ‘illegal’ grazing by their neighbouring Samburu community.
The residents who were formerly internally displaced persons (IDPs) were protesting that the Samburu community has been grazing their cattle in their farms during the night armed with arrows and spears.
They said that this has become a habitual practice and that the authorities had not done enough to stop it.
“We are starving. We do not receive aid anymore and the little crops we grow are destroyed by the Samburu,” said an agitated Ms Tabitha Wanjiru.
According to the residents, the Samburu herders from the neighbouring Rumuruti village have been harassing and threatening them anytime they try to put up a defense.
They said that almost 3000 acres of their maize, potato and green grams produce had been destroyed by the livestock.
“Every time we put up fences they cut through and if we try chasing them they threaten to attack us,” said Richard Njoroge, another resident.
The group was relocated there four years ago and they feel that they have been neglected by the government.
“We feel like we were dumped here to suffer,” said added Mr Njoroge.
The residents have called for immediate intervention from the local and national administration as they feel that the matter might get out of hand.
