A Laikipia family is mourning a 12-year-old son killed by a landmine on Tuesday.
Ldisiwa Lekesier, who was to join Grade 4 at Soit Oudo Primary School in Makurian, Laikipia North, was herding livestock when he was struck by the explosive at noon.
His elder brother Bernard Kisier said Lekesier found the device at Morpusi group ranch where security agents conduct exercises and started playing with it.
“His eyes were gouged out, the stomach split open and legs and hands were completely damaged by the device. It is a very sad case indeed to the family and the community at large” he said at the Nanyuki Teaching and Referral Hospital mortuary.
Kisier said many people and livestock have died or suffered injuries following the explosion of similar devices. They are allegedly left behind by security agents training in the area. His father had also suffered injuries to his hand years ago after he landed on a landmine.
Francis Kilua, the chairman of Morpusi Group Ranch, urged the government to compensate people who have been killed or wounded. He said Lekesier's death was a great loss to the community as he had a promising future.
"We want Interior CS Fred Matiang'i and Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutiambai to be responsible and ensure the affected families are adequately compensated,” Kilua said.
He said the killer device might have been swept to the area by flush floods.
“We want the government to acquire the land legally by buying so it can continue with the training of its security agents or leave the area completely. We can't continue living in constant fear of losing lives and livelihoods."
Another resident who sought anonymity said, "In 1972, the British Army Training in Kenya, BATUK, camped at Kiwanja Ndege area in the neighbouring Mumonyot location and trained in Soit Oudo. They used to leave behind the landmines."
In 2003, the British government paid hundreds of millions of shillings to people who had been injured or killed in Laikipia and Isiolo counties.
