Veterans to petition Ruto over Samburu cattle killings

The group says security forces acted indiscriminately and demands compensation before Mashujaa Day

By Brian Gitonga

A caucus of former freedom fighters has vowed to petition President William Ruto over the killing of hundreds of cattle by security officers in Samburu County, demanding compensation for herders who lost their livelihoods in what the group describes as indiscriminate action under the guise of flushing out criminals.

MMV Associates CLG, the organisation leading the push, said the government must commit to compensating affected families as the country prepares for Mashujaa Day celebrations on 20 October in Eldoret. Director General James Njuguna Mahuria said the killings were unacceptable and that his group planned to first meet affected Samburu community members in Nakuru before formally presenting the petition to the President.

Mahuria said the organisation was also preparing a documentary on former freedom fighters, their descendants and their current activities, which would accompany the petition as part of their broader and long-running campaign for recognition and compensation. He thanked the government’s Heroes Council for honouring earlier requests to recognise and commend several Kenyans the group had nominated.

He added that MMV Associates CLG was preparing to field its largest-ever contingent at this year’s Mashujaa Day celebrations, using the national occasion to amplify their demands and keep the spotlight on a community still awaiting justice.

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