Keep off Nairobi streets, police boss warns Maasai herders

Police have warned Maasai herders against holding protests where they intend to drive cows to Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet’s office on Monday, November 13.

Addressing the press on Sunday, Nairobi Police Commander Japheth Koome said police had not been notified of any such protests where cattle would be brought to the City, hence, the plan would not be tolerated.

“Are there ranches in Nairobi? Wherever they are coming from I will deal with them. Let them go where ranches are. I have not been notified about any people planning to demonstrate with cattle. Let them bring meat to the people of Nairobi but not cattle,” the police boss warned.

A section of leaders from the Maa Community are said to be planning to bring cows to the city centre in protest of the recent killing of cows in Laikipia.

While herders claim over 300 heads of cattle were shot dead, police maintain only 75 of them were killed during a fire exchange at Olmoran in Laikipia on Friday, November 3.

Led by Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina the leaders reacted angrily to the incident demanding compensation for the victims.

The stand off between the security agencies and the pastoral community threatened to get worse after the government defended security officers in the operation saying they were on a crackdown to flush out illegal grazers and the operation would continue.

Reacting to the incident, Laikipia police Commander Simon Kipkeu said “the herders had attempted to lay an ambush on to the security officers forcing the officers to return fire. They hid under the cattle and that was how the animals were shot and killed.”

The Maa leaders have demanded arrest and prosecution of officers who took part in the operation.