- Leaders now want the government to bar camels from outside the county to graze on residents' farms to ease tension.
- Martha Kaumi, another resident said she is shocked that once their animals are stolen the authorities are too sluggish in tracing them.
A conflict is simmering between camel herders and residents in Tigania, Meru county.
Leaders now want the government to bar camels from outside the county from grazing on residents' farms to ease tension.
On Saturday, residents said they no longer feel safe and that their children can’t walk freely to school due to fears of bandit attacks, claiming the camel herders are heavily armed.
They want the government to add more Kenya Police Reservists to match the herders who they say are killing residents who refuse them grazing land for their camels.
Jim Muchui, the Athwana MCA-elect, wondered why former Meru governor Kiraitu Murungi’s directive to bar camels from entering the county has never been implemented.
“I intend to present a motion at the county assembly on a policy to bar camels from grazing in our county. Lives are worth more than camels. We are not ready to bury people again and we can’t be losing lives in the guise of a search for pasture," Muchui said.
He took a swipe at the security agencies saying when residents were not dependent on police officers and protected themselves, peace prevailed
“We shall seek the county commissioner’s indulgence to bar camels and curb looming insecurity. If the county commissioner won’t heed I will ask the President to intervene," he said.
Mwenda M’Inoti from Nkengechia said they are still grieving the death of their seven neighbours who were killed in one night in February this year due to a camel-pasture impasse.
“I have been shot 10 times by herders who bring their animals to feed in our county but I have survived because of God’s grace," he said.
"My goats were stolen and I traced them in Isiolo town heading to an unknown location. It took the assistance of security officers to recover them,” he said.
Martha Kaumi, another resident said she is shocked that once their animals are stolen the authorities are too sluggish in tracing them.
“We are living at the mercy of armed camel herders who have invaded our farms. You can’t compare two KPR officers with more than eight armed bandits. We ask our MP to intervene and rescue us from these encroaching herders," she said.
(Edited by Tabnacha O)