Conflict has roots in colonial times

Turkanas settled in Baragoi long before the British colonial government established boundaries in the country.

Even then, they were not received kindly by the Samburus who tried to push them out of the area, communication between senior colonial officers in April and June 1922 shows.

The Turkanas had come from Turkana South.

The then officer commanding King African Rifles (KAR) in Northern Frontier District, J.M. Llewellyn (Lt Col) wrote to the Colonial Secretary after visiting the place.

“The original arrangement was for the then Officer in Charge of Turkana to return (the Turkana herders) back into the grazing areas in Turkana that they had originally occupied but this was not done.”

He visited Baragoi after Turkanas were pushed out of the place by Samburus settling in Suguta Valley where the weather proved too harsh for their animals.

He continues: “Captain von-Otter told me here that he was willing to take back these tribesmen from this area (Baragoi) and place them in Turkana but pointed out that if he did so it would lead to distress as the country (Turkana region) is full.”

Capt von-Otter was the officer in charge in Turkana region.

BUFFER ZONE

In the communication Lt Col Llewellyn says the Turkanas had been evicted from grazing land in Baragoi by the Samburus in 1912.

He has quoted a book by Capt Stigand, To Abyssinia through an unknown land, where the writer says Turkanas had settled in the grazing lands of Baragoi known as El Barta plains.

They would act as a buffer zone between raiders from the northern side of Marsabit and west side of Turkana area.