Laikipia residents have lamented being sidelined by county and state officials and ranchers despite being victims of banditry and rustling.
Wangwachi villagers in Laikipia West say there is a need for security agencies to involve them in finding lasting solutions to the problems as they, too, have grievances. They should know how the government plans to tackle insecurity, they said.
They want criminals flushed out of the Laikipia Natures Conservancy that serves as their hideout.
On Saturday, Interior principal administrative assistant Moffat Kangi and Rift Valley regional commissioner George Natembeya led a meeting with ranchers from Laikipia West and North Constituencies at Wangwachi ASTU camp in Ol-Moran. They called for active participation from all stakeholders to deal with the challenges.
The residents decried rising cases of attacks despite the heavy presence of security personnel from various formations, including the Anti-Stock Theft Police Unit, the Rapid Deployment Unit and the General Service Unit.
“Many families have lost their livestock during such attacks, rendering our people poor. We now want the government to look into ways of supplying us with relief food,” a resident said.
The government has intervened in an effort to safeguard the interests of the ranchers following invasions by illegal grazers in search of pasture and water.
The government has maintained that the challenges facing residents and investors in Laikipia require concerted efforts to get a lasting solution.
Kangi said the ranchers ought to provide credible information regarding invasions and attacks in their areas to enable the government to act promptly.
“There is need for the county administration to look into ways of negotiating with ranchers on how they can help in making pasture available for pastoralists who are ready to pay for the foliage and management of the stock,” he said.
Laikipia Health executive, who represented Governor Ndiritu Muriithi, echoed the sentiments, calling for deliberations on the number of livestock one should keep, to avert such incidents whenever there is drought.
She regretted that cases of insecurity are rampantly occasioned by illegal grazers and livestock thieves who hide within the ranches.
While appreciating efforts by the government to secure their ranches, Ol-Maiso ranch owner Martin Evans, who is also the Laikipia Ranchers Association chairman, said they have incurred huge losses as a result of the invasions.
Evans said most ranchers have invested a lot of their resources in planting fodder for their livestock, but illegal grazers have invaded them and forcibly graze their animals.
However, Kangi said the government has marked Laikipia Nature Conservancy, Mugie Ranch, Kirimon, Mutara ADC Farm, Suiyan, Loisaba and the entire Ol-Moran division for a serious security operation to flush out illegal grazers.
