Samburu Massacre On Tuesday 15th September 2009

Report by:
NAINYOIE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ORGANISATION
P.O. BOX 66
MARALAL,
KENYA

Tel: +254-720-857285


On Tuesday 15th September 2009 at dawn 300 armed raiders attacked a Manyatta at PND ranch in Laikipia North District killing 25 people. Many of those killed were women and children most of them found still sleeping.

The following were the names of the families that lost their loved ones on the fateful morning;
1.    Leterewa-      2 people
2.    Lekirenyei -   2
3.    Lesaibile  -    2
4.    Lesoilan   -    2
5.    Lekadaa    -    2
6.    Lekaldero –   2
7.    Lengupae –   2
8.    Lenero---      2
9.    Lengolooni  -2
10.    Leiriro
11.    Lekulal
12.    Loltienya
13.    Lolpetai
14.    Letoore

The raids began in 2006 when the Pokot (a neighboring tribe) encroached on land in PND farm of Laikipia District .This land had been legally allocated to the Samburu and Laikipia Maasai by the previous government. The pokot began guided and well planned raids on the residents of the PND farm. These communities are heavily armed with sophisticated guns and even bombs. In the initial rapid attacks, the Samburu lost more than 7 people so they left their farms and relocated to Louwa Ngiro in Isiolo District and other parts of Samburu. They fled from their homes after losing hundreds of livestock Thousands were displaced from their homes but the government did not recognize them as IDPs .The government worsened the situation by declaring all Samburu persona Non-Grata in Laikipia District .During the same time in November 2006,a retired General of the Kenya army Gen Lengees, was attacked by government forces with the intention to kill him because they insinuated that his presence in Laikipia was an impediment to removal of Samburu. This led to a public demonstration led by the speaker of the national assembly Hon Francis Ole Kaparo against the governments move. The public outcry nationally, caught the government unaware hence, they halted the move.

In 2007, before the general election, 6 more Samburu who remained in the said farm were killed by the Pokot.The remnants of Samburu in the farm fled for their lives and abandoned the farm completely. 

From that time the Pokot occupied the farms in full view of the government forces. This farm acted as a base from where they would organize future raids against the Samburu.As a result of the Pokot settling on the farm the Maralal-Rumuruti Road became very insecure and dangerous with frequent attacks on travelers. The government established two administration police posts on the road due to the frequency of the attacks. Prominent people in the government were not spared by the attackers-they once attacked the former speaker Hon Ole Kaparo who is a resident of Pnd farm. Many people have lost their lives on the said road and residents now call it the HIGHWAY OF DEATH.

Many reconciliatory meetings have been held between the two communities over the years to restore peace to the troubled area. The first was organized by Hon Kaparo whose farm neighbors both communities. The Samburu side was always suspicious that the government was siding with the Pokot to displace the Samburu from Laikipia. The Pokot argued that they deserve to live in PND which is a better environment than their original land in Baringo. This mutual suspicions and mistrust made realization of peace in this area very difficult.

In July 2009 the Samburu decided to return to their farms at PND farm which is their legally owned land since they have title deeds. They came from Samburu, Laikipia North and Isiolo Districts and settled in one big Manyatta (village) for security at Kanampiu in Pnd ranch. They had hardly stayed for one month when the raiders struck.

INTERVENTIONS

Since most of the victims were women and children, there is a lot of trauma among the affected families and disruption of family ties. There is a severe drought currently ravaging the country hence this people need the following;

Short term 

1.    Water 

2.    clothes

3.    Food

4.    Medicine 

Long term

1.    Restocking of livestock-most people have been left destitute following cattle raids,

2.    Provision of water through boreholes, water pans and Dams.

3.    Establishing a sustainable conflict management/peace building process.

4.    Provision of schools, hospitals and ammenties to enable the people to settle on the land.