Why is Mwingi facing famine? Not drought, armed invaders

The problem is conflict with camel herders.

Frightened that they would be attacked by marauding camel herders from North Eastern Kenya who have invaded their area, the residents abandoned their farms and homes for safer hideouts.

A tour by the Star of Mandongoi, Kanyunyi and Kiseuni villages in Ngomeni ward, Kyuso district, on Monday revealed deserted homes and shambas. Most homes were ghostly and overgrown with bushes and grass.

Most residents fled and camped at Mandongoi market where the government had over a week ago set up a GSU camp to provide security.

But three days before the GSUs were deployed, Mandongoi market was raided by gun-toting bandits on November 23 who were however repulsed by police officers patrolling the trading centre.

The bulk of fleeing but poor residents are camping in the bushes or in  homes of relatives just in the neighbourhood of Mandongoi. 

Some of the displaced persons could occasionally cautiously access their farms in the marginal areas of Mandongoi and Kanyunyi villages that have of late borne the brunt of the banditry attacks.

But even as panicky residents stay away from their farms, thus risking a serious food shortage calamity, Mandongoi assistant chief David Mwinzi considers the security to have greatly improved ofl ate.

He said during an interview at Mandongoi trading centre on Tuesday that insecurity situation has been effectively addressed by the government.

“Security officers have arrived. We have a GSU contingent that managed to remove the livestock (camels). People who had fled their homes have started returning and started tilling the farms,” Mwinzi said.

He admitted that the area had received good rains and that the crops were doing very well.

Mwinzi added he was optimistic the security situation would sooner than later return to normal  going by the efforts the government has put in place.

Nevertheless, the residents maintain the  state of security was still fluid. They claimed even with the presence of a GSU platoon in the area, armed camel herders are often spotted scouting the area brandishing rifles.

A villager, Timothy Kioko, told the Star that when kikoi-clad camel herders are spotted around their presence sends shivers down the spines of locals.

 “Everyone, even a very small child, knows that armed camel herders are always on a mission to kill,” Kioko said.

An elderly Mbindi Syanda rues that the social and economic disruption caused not only by the presence of the invading camel herders but their actions will cost locals a harvest from their farms this season.

“We have just received rains here. In the past four or five seasons we experienced inadequate rainfall. With the rains it is my cry to the government to keep the camel herders at bay so that we can tend to our farms,” said the 67-years-old Mandongoi farmer.

Syanda grudgingly took us to his shamba that has millet, cowpeas and watermelon crops in various stages of maturity. He said he was assured of a good crop but if only the hostile and murderous camel herders were kept at bay.

“Currently we are facing serious food shortage. If we do not get help the famine situation is likely to worsen, leading to death from starvation. I appeal to the government to step in forcefully and ensure we are able to tend to our farms and get food because the rains are good,” he said.

Syanda also took us to his abandoned and ghostly home at Mandongoi village. He said he had to move his family and all the livestock to the safety of Mandongoi trading centre where he rented houses.

He said the presence of the GSU personnel in Madongoi market gave the residents an assurance of their security.

Syanda said some of his family members sneak back into the family shamba about two kilometers away during day time to till the land and return to their Mandongoi camp at nightfall to join others internally displaced villagers.

Another elder, Philip Maivi, said at Mandongoi market that the invading camel herders have made life an overt hell on earth for the locals. He said the herders graze their livestock in any available vegetation including right inside peoples’ farms, provoking trouble.

“Our problem is the camel herders. Everything would have been fine for us were it not for the camel herders who drive their livestock into our farms devouring all the food crops,” Maivi said.

He lamented that the Mandongoi community was likely to be hit by serious food scarcity because people have fled to safer areas in fear of attacks from the camel herders turned bandits.  

Timothy Savali, who has his farm at Kanyunyi village, said his situation was so bad that he has already been exposed to untold suffering due to the presence of armed camel herders in the area.

“I earn money by growing green grams which I sell for cash. Now, that I have been sent away from my farm by warriors (camel herders), I am going through difficult times. I do not know what to do,” he said bitterly.

The Kitui county coordinator for the National Drought Management Authority, Francis Koma, said the banditry activities orchestrated by the camel herders spell doom on the prospects of ending the current food insecurity in the affected areas.

“Food security in those areas is most affected because this is the most critical time for them to be busy in their farms, but they are away. It is sad the little they could have harvested is going to waste as the planted crops are destroyed by wild animals as the farms are not policed,” he said.

He said considering that most residents were currently faced with serious famine after expending all their food stocks, the food shortage will be at its worst sooner than later. “It is actually a very devastating scenario,” said Koma on phone on Tuesday.

Mandongoi Full Gospel Church pastor Jeremiah Nyayo said banditry perpetuated by the camel herders has disillusioned the locals. 

“People are living a life of being perpetually tensed and frightened. They are not sure whom among them will be hit or killed by the herders next,” he lamented.

As he acknowledged the efforts the government is making to restore peace in the area, he feels that enough is not being done.

He said it was imperative for the government to exert more efforts by flushing out the marauding bandits who pass as camel herders from Kitui for good.

“This is a nagging problem we have endured for years. It is time the security agencies followed the bandits into the Mwingi Game Reserve and Kora National Park where they take refuge every time they are evicted from people's farms. We want them completely out of our areas,” Pastor Nyayo said.

He also faulted the security sector for stationing the GSU camp in Mandongoi instead of the banditry hot spot areas at the common border between Kitui and Tana River counties.

“The GSU camp should have been set up in Kanyunyi area, which is not only near the Tana River border but in a prime agricultural area where people have abandoned their shambas and fled for their lives.

“Actually the deserted Kanyunyi area is the bread basket of Mandongoi,” he said on Tuesday.

However, Kyuso police commander Nicholas Mutua said on Tuesday that security had tremendously improved in the Mandongoi. He advised all residents who have fled their homes to return and continue with normal chores as their security is guaranteed.

“I am aware there are people who have not gone back to their homes. They are just being timid for nothing as they are now assured of their security.

“With the GSUs constantly patrolling and thoroughly combing that area daily only a daredevil criminal with a death wish could venture into the area,” Mutua said.

The sub-county police chief however said there was nothing wrong with the GSU contingent having a camp at Mandongoi trading centre as they patrolled the entire troubled area to pre-empt any criminal activities.

“The truth is that we could not dump the officers anywhere and anyhow. We had to put them in a place where they could access essential commodities, social amenities, water and a secure place to put up. That place was identified at Mandongoi police station site,” he said on phone.

He added that plans were in the pipeline to carry out a major joint security operation to flush out the bandits who pose as camel herders from the Mwingi Game Reserve and neighbouring Kora National Park where they normally take refuge.

Edited by Henry Makori