Sosian Ranch – 10th August

Just received from Sosian – 

Today felt different to all the other days of boredom and despondency mixed with chaos we have endured in Laikipia for the better part of a year. The elections have been the focal point in our lives and everything that matters to us seems to have been based around the outcome and finally they have happened and so far, so good. The people have spoken and those who were more intent on destroying Laikipia than building it, more determined to enrich themselves than their constituents have been beaten soundly at the polls by the peoples majority. There is hope going forward from a political point of view and we look forward to working with the new elected leaders to right the wrongs and rebuild Laikipia for a better future

 Coupled with this is the huge amount of rain we have been getting after months of dust, drought and death. Driving around the farm today there is a sense of relief from the land itself with luggas in full flow, dams spilling and the bush bouncing back to life after months of appearing lifeless. Even the illegal boma sites built on us are now rich manure piles with lush green grass sprouting out of the ground and the hundreds of cow carcasses and disappearing back into the land. Driving through one area today ,which had some of the highest concentrations of gunfire, bushfires set by the pastoralists and thousands of illegal cattle and their dwellings, there are now herds of elephants feeding contentedly and fresh tracks of a lioness and small cubs.

 After deaths and death threats, mindless destruction, attacks on our homes and regular firefights in the bush there were times when you find yourself asking “WTF am I doing here, what is the point?” but today felt right and that we did the right thing staying and all of those who work at Sosian here are now smiling and the feeling is shared . The cattle are now beginning to look fat and shining again rather than pitiful skeletal creatures trying to survive each day , rather like their owners were doing! There is no doubt that we all have a lot of rebuilding and new ideas to implement. We will all have to make some changes to how the business is run going forward but these changes will be for the good of those who want a better life and not so good for those who want to continue to flaunt the government and the rule of law. 

To those who tried to break us and take what isn’t theirs you nearly broke our resolve but not quite…………………….