Residents and herders have clashed over land and tension was high yesterday in Konza on the border of Kajiado and Makueni counties.
The disputed land on Kapiti Plains in Makueni is owned by International Livestock Research Institute.
Mashuuru deputy county commissioner Stephen Nyakundi yesterday said an MCA from Kiima Kiu-Kalanzoni destroyed temporary structures of Maasai herders from Kajiado on Tuesday evening.
Nyakundi, who spoke to the Star on the phone, said the Kamba community and the MCA met 14 days ago and blamed the herders for environmental degradation and pollution. The Makueni Livestock executive also attended the meeting, he said.
They accused the herders of failing to bury the carcasses of dead animals. They are left of grazing land.
Nyakundi said the meeting did not involve officials from the county administration.
“They discussed several issues. They claim herders graze their livestock in people’s farms at night after destroying their fences,” Nyakundi said.
The meeting also discussed the failure by the herders to disclose the number of livestock they intend to graze on the ILRI farm.
“A herder can say he has 400 cows, which he wants to graze for one month. We charge him according to the number of cows.
CROPS DESTROYED
“However, at night he calls the whole of Kajiado. In the morning, we find about 10,000 cows grazing on the farm,” Malili resident Michael Mutua said on Tuesday.
Residents said the problem with their neighbours from Kajiado is they have no regard for their crops.
“They graze their livestock on our farms. When we complain they charge at us,” Konza resident Mary Mutu said.
Nyakundi dismissed claims there was a fight between the two communities on Tuesday.
However, he confirmed there is tension over destruction of Maasai structures.
ILRI allows Kajiado herders to put up temporary structures for those who pay to graze their livestock for more than one month.
Nyakundi, Mukaa OCPD Charles Muthui and a ward reps were to meet communities yesterday afternoon.
Nyakundi said the herders from Mashuuru have no problem with Makueni residents over grazing in their land.