Invading lands: Laikipia tightens rules for herders

Herders from other counties driving livestock into Laikipia in search of pasture will be required to produce letters from their respective chiefs indicating their destination and the person hosting them.

Assistant County Commissioner (ACC) for Ol Moran Division in Kirima Sub-County, Onesmus Kamau, said several herders fleeing drought in their home counties had already been turned away for arriving without the required documentation.

He said the measure is aimed at preventing conflicts with local communities, particularly cases where livestock are driven into private farms without the consent of landowners. “We also warn them against driving away local people’s animals together with theirs when they leave Laikipia,” Kamau said.

He was speaking during the handover of a water tank, desks and a girls’ toilet block to Laikipia Ranching Primary and Junior School in Mitaro Location. The facilities were provided by Mukutan Conservancy through its corporate social responsibility programme, with the conservancy also installing gutters to enable the school to harvest rainwater for its 130 pupils and nine teachers.

Mukutan Conservancy Director Sveva Gallmann, popularly known as Makena, said her family has had a long association with the school dating back to the 1960s, when the institution was located within their Laikipia Nature Conservancy land. She pledged continued support for the school and urged pupils to remain focused on their education and pursue their passions.

Gallmann said the name Mukutan means “coming together” and reflects the conservancy’s commitment to bringing together people from different communities to live peacefully. “Peace must always come first.

Without peace, especially when there is conflict, there can be no meaningful development,” she said, noting that the school had previously been closed due to insecurity. With the country heading towards another election period, she urged communities to maintain peace and use existing leadership structures to resolve challenges.

Gallmann also said environmental and wildlife conservation were critical to community development, noting that tourists visiting Kenya contribute to the economy and create opportunities for conservancies to support local communities. “Visitors come from far and wide to see the wildlife and enjoy the environment. This gives us an opportunity to act as a bridge, connecting those visitors with the local community and encouraging them to support projects that benefit the people here,” she said.

The school’s Headteacher, Peter Ndiritu, thanked Mukutan Conservancy for its support, saying elephants had previously destroyed water tanks while searching for water during dry periods. He said the conservancy responded by providing a new tank and constructing a protective wall around it, besides building four permanent girls’ toilets.

Ndiritu, however, appealed for an electric fence around the school’s 15-acre compound to keep elephants away and improve security. “Due to lack of a fence, when the school closes for holidays, it is turned into footpaths and a grazing field by people who vandalise infrastructure in the process,” he said.

He also appealed for a modern kitchen to enable the school to prepare meals under the government feeding programme in a safe and hygienic environment.

Laikipia Ranching Primary and Junior School was moved from Laikipia Nature Conservancy in the 1980s, but much of its infrastructure remains made up of basic mabati and timber structures. Ndiritu said fencing, a proper kitchen and improved infrastructure would significantly enhance the learning environment.

Meanwhile, Ol Moran Location Chief Francis Njuguna urged members of the Pokot community living in the area to acquire land, saying this would enable them to establish permanent roots and take advantage of facilities such as schools.

Kenya Wildlife Conservancies Association (KWCA) Chief Executive Officer Dickson Kaelo said Mukutan was among more than 240 conservancies operating across Kenya and working with communities to support development initiatives.

He said peace and environmental conservation were key to sustaining such projects and urged communities to protect natural resources that provide food, water and clean air. “We are one people and one nation. When there is peace, many positive things can be achieved,” Kaelo said. He noted that wildlife tourism contributes significantly to the economy through taxes, accommodation, transport, food and other services, and urged residents to protect Laikipia’s reputation as a peaceful conservation and tourism destination.

The event brought together government officials, conservationists, community leaders, parents and pupils, with speakers calling for peaceful coexistence, environmental conservation and stronger collaboration between communities, government and conservancies to promote education and development in the region.

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