Month: April 2017
Day 110 of chaos, violence, mayhem, shooting etc or day 233 – Saturday 29th
Another long day with livestock pressure both Pokot and Samburu increasing each day and accessing the farm mostly at night but also now during the day. The Foot Patrol crew came across and fixed another 18 breaks in the boundary stone wall.
On the Karuwao / Lombara corner a small herd of cattle were seen but we’re just pushed out and not impounded as obviously weak and struggling.
Foot patrol crew together with Police and NPR support impounded a herd of approx 100 Samburu cattle and then a herd of approx 170 Samburu sheep and goats.
The major wall building work in the Morogo lugga is coming on well and will definitely sort out that weak section as well as allow water flow .
Facebook post by Donald B. Kipkorir -Sunday 23rd April – copied with permission
Crowd funding for Small Holder Farmers
The Orme-Smith home on Sosian Ranch
Our home on Sosian, burnt with all our treasured possessions. But worse is the desperation of the people driven to do it. They are hungry, uneducated and at the mercy of a deeply uncivilized, greedy and corrupt leadership. Shameful and truly uncivilized.
The Lion and the Cow: Conservation, Pastoralism, and Conflict
The recurring thought of lions and cows keeps interrupting my focus on a humid evening as I sit down to dinner outside a small hotel overlooking the din of downtown Kampala. I’m conversing wi…
Source: The Lion and the Cow: Conservation, Pastoralism, and Conflict
Day 109 of chaos, violence, mayhem, shooting etc or day 232 – Friday 28th
Livestock both Pokot and Samburu continue to build up in large numbers on our boundarys and access the farm mainly at night. There isn’t much grass but better than outside the farm I guess.
Today saw the Foot Patrols come across and repair 18 breaks in the boundary stone wall and then came across and impounded 83 head of Samburu cattle. As they were rounding them up they were under pressure from the owners and called for back up and the NPR and Police went to support them. Two Samburu arrested and taken to Rumuruti Police Station.
CID from Rumuruti came and photographed the 75 head of Pokot cattle impounded yesterday and they were then released as information led the Police to think there was retaliation planned. 3 Pokot were arrested and taken to Rumuruti Police Station.
Wall building in the Morogo valley continues where the seasonal river comes into the farm and a weak point for livestock to access.
Photos from Richard Constant on Sosian Ranch – 28th April
Today was the first time I personally could get to my house, looted and burned by Pokot invaders in Laikipia. The site of a murdered friend. And two fellow shareholder houses destroyed utterly. Am going to rebuild it. This will be my home again.
Sosian Ranch – 28th April
Been a crazy week but as mentioned the pressure on us is hugely reduced but sadly this means it will increase for someone else until the violent mob of so called grazers are finally contained.
It continues to amaze me how so much of the press continues to describe the problem as desperate herders peacefully searching for pasture for their beloved animals.
It also amazes me when I am asked by people , normally in Nairobi “ is Laikipia really as bad as it sounds “ or “ has the problem gone away” . My replies are normally quite reserved but I would like to say something else!
People have to get on with their own lives but at some stage they also have to realise the true extent of the problem and the potential implications it has on them. The fact is the problem has not gone away, these people are not peaceful herders and it is not confined to a small pocket in far northern, distant, out of sight out of mind Laikipia.
What is encouraging is the that the Government are doing a good job at trying to sort it out but are now faced with a mammoth task complicated further by a constitution that seems to give criminals and even their cattle more immunity than law abiding citizens. Dozens of people have been killed by the so called herders and yet when their cattle are caught in the crossfire it is an outrage.
Now one tribe involved in the invasions has moved onto the others tribes, who were also involved in the invasions, “traditional” grazing land they are appealing to the same government they have been actively fighting to remove them. Insert Pokot and Samburu where you want in the previous sentence and you will get them same conclusion.
These pictures were taken today, some are from old damage some are new but I would love anyone to justify how this constitutes a peaceful search for pasture by a proud and just cattle loving people. I am on the ground and the kindest description of them would be armed destroyers.
This is what happens when you try and stop a peace loving ‘pasture seeking herder’ – shot in the head but amazingly lucky to survive
Three different homes torched within 24 hours by ‘pasture seeking herders’
Sadly this writing on the wall of one of the staff houses didn’t stop the ‘pasture seeking herders’ from destroying everything in the house or the motorbike, or the generator, or the water tank or the……….etc etc
And what do thes peaceful herders leave behind in their wake ? Death, destruction, devastation and a group of people who will be more resilient and determined than ever before.
Update on elephant calf rescued on Sosian Ranch in February
Received from Sosian – 28th April
On the 20th of February a wounded elephant cow was spotted – she has been shot in the shoulder and was together with her calf but in obvious discomfort. She was found again on the morning of the 21st Feb and could barely walk. The decision was made to put down the cow and rescue the calf.
The calf was darted and the herd gathered round it protectively but we managed to get the calf in the car with its dead mother now lying nearby. The calf was then flown out to join the growing number of orphaned elephant calves in Northern Kenya who are helpless victims in this so called search for pasture by people who have destroyed their own grazing and care for little else except themselves. Thanks to KWS , NRT and Tropic Air for making this happen
Huge thanks to RESCUE and Reteti Elephant Sanctuary who funded and organised the whole operation.
Update 1 from Reteti Elephant Sanctuary – He was not in good shape when he got here – a lot of grief in his eyes. I spent the most of the day at his stable as he was desperate for some company and love. It’s incredible to see these other orphans react to him it’s as if they already understand his sadness. I hope the cattle issues get resolved soon. We are thinking of you guys and hoping no more wildlife gets caught in the crossfire. We have another calf coming in from Mugie tomorrow – same thing. Katie
Update 2 from Reteti Elephant Sanctuary – I wanted to give a quick update on Sosian ( the calf that came to us for you guys ) poor thing is pretty traumatized, but the other elies picked that up straight away and are an incredible support to him. He took a bottle from us straight away and is slotting in very quickly. Below a few picks of our herd meeting Sosian. Salaams to all there and pls do come and see us one day soon. Katie
Photo credit – Katie, Reteti Elephant Sanctuary
Armed Invasion of our Family Home in Kenya! 