The Government has moved in to flush out tens of herders in Longonot area of Naivasha in an exercise that has caused anxiety and anger in the semi-arid area.
The State has termed the herders from neighboring communities as a security threat but land owners and peace crusaders have defended their presence.
In the last couple of months, tens of herders from neighboring counties have sought land for pastures for their animals due to the harsh weather conditions.
Naivasha Deputy County Commissioner Josiah Odongo defended the exercise saying that the herders had invaded private land and destroyed property worth thousands of shillings.
He said that the exercise would continue until there was sanity in the area that in the past had recorded clashes over pasture and water.
“Some herders from neighboring communities have invaded parts of Naivasha and we have been forced to flush them out on security grounds,” he said.
Odongo put on notice some land owners who were reaping from the herders adding that the sub-county security team would not condone incitement.
But according to one of the herders Charles Angaine, they had lived in the area for years and had coexisted peacefully with the local community.
He termed the eviction as full of malice, noting that there was no complainant and that some of the herders had legally leased land from land owners.
“The ongoing exercise is marred by incitement and is a threat to security among area residents who have lived here peacefully,” he said.
A land owner Margaret Mumbi said that she had willingly leased part of her land to the herders whom she had lived with for years.
“Police moved in and destroyed our fence while kicking out the herders and this is wrong as we don’t have any problem with them,” he said.
This was echoed by another land owner James Wagara who said that they did not have problem with the herders who had camped in the area for years.
“Some members of the provincial administration have misinformed the security committee leading to the current impasse,” he said.
A peace crusader, Moses Osedai condemned the eviction terming it as a recipe for chaos in future as the communities in the area had co-existed peacefully for years.
“We are deeply perturbed by the ongoing exercise which is targeting members of the pastoralist’s community as it has left tens homeless and tension high,” he said.
