Business activities at Rumuruti Municipality in Laikipia county were on Thursday paralysed for the third day with three more farmers injured.
Traders closed their premises in solidarity with farmers who have been protesting over illegal grazers herding livestock in private farms.
The protests also affected the popular weekly livestock market as traders and livestock owners kept off as tension heightened.
A spot check by the Star revealed that only a handful of livestock traders had turned up and complained of lack of buyers.
The standoff follows a series and continuous invasions to farm lands by migrant and illegal grazers who drive their animals to graze illegally in farms.
Residents also complained of several attacks meted on innocent people by the illegal grazers as they attempted to drive the animals away.
Rumuruti Municipal manager Maina Kibocha and Laikipia Governor Ndiritu Muriithi said the standoff has not only affected business activities in the town but also revenue collection by the county administration.
“On a normal day during the weekly livestock market, the county government collects approximately Sh300,000 in revenue, while millions of shillings circulate during the day within the town” Kibocha said.
The leaders however expressed optimism that the situation will get better, but this they said, would be realised if stakeholders embrace dialogue and agree to a ceasefire.
Addressing the media, the governor challenged members of the National Assembly to review the old trespass Act claiming it had loop holes and was too lenient to the offenders.
Muriithi lamented that a person arrested over trespass or found guilty of grazing in peoples’ land is fined Sh500 when charged in court, and this could not deter the offenders from repeating the offences.
He at the same time called on Chief Justice Martha Koome to deploy a magistrate at the Rumuruti law courts to help hasten in operationalising the court processes and dealing with numerous cases from the area.
-Edited by SKanyara
