Barely a day after Deputy President William Ruto directed police to use force to restore sanity in Laikipia County, herders are up in arms alleging harassment and torture by security agencies.
The mainly Samburu told the Nation, said the government was applying blanket force on pastoralists searching for pasture amid a devastating drought.
One of them said: “Polisi wanachapa watoto na wanawake, na sisi si watu wabaya, tumekuja kutafuta maji (The police are beating women and children. We are innocent and are here to look for pasture and water for our animals.”
Another resident, Mr Peter Lankas, said that the police should look for the criminals who have been vandalising and looting property from private ranches instead of harassing Samburus, Pokots and Turkanas.
“Criminals who have been torching lodges and launching attacks should be pursued and arrested, not the pastoralists.”
The outcry came as Laikipia County leaders on Wednesday supported the use force.