In the past one month or so, the maa nation has been grieving. These are a people whose livelihood solely depends on livestock.
Tanzania - Maasai feud
Tanzanian government auctioned all the livestock belonging to maasai herders found to have "illegally" entered the country.
The country's president, JP Magufuli went ahead to stress that he won't be stopping do to it again if they trespass into his territory. Kenya's government did little to help the herders who were used to making those endless trips across the border whenever drought came calling.
Laikipia
Secondly, police officers aboard Armoured Personnel Carriers fell down more than 300 cattle in Laikipia North constituency. The police did not refute the accusation, however, claimed the numbers had been inflated. They asserted that the deaths arose as a result of exchange of fire between police officers and bandits who were terrorising the area residents. The bandits had used the animals as shields prompting the police to fell the cattle.
Area Leaders
Area leaders, despite calling for speedy investigation and compensation of the herders, it seems nothing will be done.
This came just 6 months after another more than 500 cattle we're fell by security officers inside the Laikipia Nature Conservancy. The herders were accused of invading private ranches. The security officers are accused of having used explosives on the animals. Standard Media journalist who went to cover the incident were arrested by the security officers and their equipment confiscated. They were later forced to delete the images and videos they had captured.
Botched Demonstrations
Today, 22nd November, a group of people les by Narok senator, Ledama Ole Kina dressed in maasai
shukas were demonstrating the killing of their cattle. Police officers launched tear gas canisters and dispersed them despite him having notified the police of their planned demonstration.
Tana River Camel shooting
On 27th May, 2017, in Bura, Tana River County, 1
26 camels were killed by security officers patrolling the disputed border area between Kitui and Tana River counties.
Security officers who had been deployed to patrol the disputed border shot and killed the camels.
Ali Wario, M.P for Bura, condemned the incident and called for the resignation of Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet and the then C.S Interior Joseph Nkaisserry.
Government Response
However what's appalling is how the government has responded to that shooting incident in Tana River.
On 18th November, 2017,
The government through the Ministry of Agriculture, has issued cheques worth Sh8.82million for compensation to herders whose 126 camels were killed by security officers.
Each of the 126 camels killed was compensated at Sh70,000, translating to Sh8.82 million
“We are aware of the suffering the pastoralists are going through during this dry spell. And for them to lose their only remaining herd is painful and unacceptable. We have come up with programmes to cushion pastoralists during prolonged dry spells." C.S Agriculture Willy Bett [Nation.co.ke]
Is the government pushing the message that maasai's are not Kenyans enough? Or are somali camels more equal to maasai cattle?
