The raging conflict in Laikipia county has inflicted heavy casualties on Kikuyu and European settlers in the fragile region.
Reports indicate attackers are not only forcing their way into small plots belonging to inhabitants from Mt Kenya in the Western part of Laikipia, but also into the thousands of acres belonging to wazungu settlers spread out all over the county.
The most affected areas in the West, dominated by Kikuyus are Ol Moran, Wangwachi, Kamwenje, Miteta, Village 18, and the Laikipia Nature Conservancy.
In Ol Moran, for example, the arsonists have kicked landowners out of their homes and occupied the spaces.
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”He had fled together with his wife and five children and sought refuge at my home. On Sunday night, the armed bandits attacked and forced themselves to a house where he was sleeping together with his son and shot him in front of his son who was hiding under the bed,” Mr. Ndun’gu whose brother was shot and killed by the bandits said.
In what seems to be coordinated and executed with military precision, the M16 armed bandits from Samburu, Baringo and Isiolo counties first struck private properties in Laikipia North and captured thousands of livestock in January before extending their operation to the West.
In the past one month alone, eight people, among them three police officers, have been killed in Laikipia West.
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Rift Valley Regional Commissioner George Natembeya also confirms four civilians and two officers are nursing injuries.
“Eight people, among them security officers have been killed and that was before the security operation… we have put up enough security where residents live,” Natembeya said this morning.
