KRN NEWS DESK
The Maasai Community Sues Matiang’i and the AG over the Killing spree in Laikipia.
The Maasai community through their lawyer Thomas Letangule has sued the interior ministry and the attorney general on the ongoing security operation in Laikipia. The operation is aimed at dispersing the pastoralists who allegedly invaded the land.
Killing of animals
“The Maa council of elders led by Mzee Olenchoi came to me to file a constitutional petition against the Ministry of Interior and the attorney general concerning the ongoing security operation in Laikipia County. They are trying to remove the pastoralists from Laikipia and people and cows are being killed,” Letangule said.
“Majority of them have titles, you can see in the petition I have attached a lot of photos of bullets, cows that have been killed, copies of the titles, over 1000 cows were shot and this is a denial of livelihood of these people, therefore, depriving them of their survival,” he added.
Use of force
He further added that the government is using a lot of force in handling the issue.
“I don’t see how the government can come and kill animals using force against the pastoralists, you can see the kind of ammunition and armored vehicles they are using. This is a violation of human rights,” he added.
Stealing of grass
Former MP Peter Lenges admitted that the youths could be trespassing but that doesn’t warrant the government to kill animals. He urged the government to dialogue with them to bring the matter to an end.
“We have come to see Letangule (Lawyer) see whether we can be able to have a dialogue with the system. We supported this government, sometimes we see things happening that suggest we are not respected, many cows are being killed, Manyattas getting burned,
We know the youths on the ground are not educated, and at times they can take grass by force, when cows need grass, that’s our livelihood, you can’t prevent that, sometimes we steal grass, that we can’t dispute since the land is not ours,” he stated
Divide and rule
Maasai Council of elders chairman Mzee Olenchoi, stated that outsiders are trying to divide the Maasai’s along regional lines.
“Many are trying to divide us along regional lines. They are saying that there are Maasai’s from Samburu, Kajiado, or Narok but we are one. We respect the government but we correct them when they are not doing good,” he said.
