Police disperse demonstrators protesting killing of cattle

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Police teargas protesters at Uhuru Park in Nairobi. (Photo: Courtesy)

Police lobbed teargas to disperse protesters at Uhuru Park on Wednesday.

Reto Women Association was holding a peaceful demonstration to decry alleged police killing of over 300 livestock belonging to pastoralist communities who had invaded private ranches in Laikipia County.

The incident caused condemnation by the pastoralist communities, with their leaders turning to social media to accuse the police of employing unlawful means to evict them from the ranches.

The Maa Community had called upon interested parties to participate in the peaceful protest on Wednesday, November 22 and urged them to wear a Maasai shuka and carry along a calabash which symbolizes their culture.

In a letter to interested parties, Reto Women Association welcomed even the men who were willing to join them in the demonstration.

They had planned to walk through the streets of Nairobi Central Business District (CBD) and end at Harambee house. 

However, police maintain that the killing of over 300 cows in Latia, Laikipia North was as a result of a shootout between officers and armed pastoralists.

The police boss said operations to smoke out pastoralists from Pokot and Samburu counties who have invaded private farms in Laikipia would continue.

Activists have been lobbying for dialogue among leaders from the pastoralists communities instead of violently evicting them.