No end in sight to Purko Ranch woes, locals want trustees fired

Ilkiremisho community members demonstrate at Tipis town against Purko Ranch staff over fracas that left 14 injured, July 3, 2024. [George Sayagie, Standard] Wrangles pitting Purko Development Trust board against members of the Purko Group Ranch in Narok County are threatening projects at the ranch. Some members of the ranch say the Trust is mismanaging the resources and should be disbanded. They claim ranch resources are being used for personal gain, and the local community has been denied access to the vast property. They have issued a seven-day ultimatum to Narok Governor Patrick ole Ntutu to convene an annual general meeting over what they term as mismanagement of the trust. Protesters from Ilkerimisho community neighbouring the farm are also demanding an audit of all finances and assets of the land, and want the Trust chief executive officer, Joseph Nkawuatei, and board of trustees fired. Apart from mismanagement, members have cited illegal leasing of the land to outsiders for agricultural purposes. The Trust has three structures of management including the General Assembly made up of 200 representatives across the entire population of the community from five regions of Narok County. They further complained that according to the constitution of the Trust, the Assembly meets once a year to review the report of Trust and approve financial estimates but this has not happened for the last three years. Land where the ranch is situated was donated by members of the Purko clan and each of them donated sheep as capital, 70 years ago. The 5,000-acre ranch located in Narok County generates millions of shillings annually from breeding livestock. Over the years it has expanded its business venture to include growing barley, wheat, potatoes and peas to fight poverty and advance the education standards of the community. Recently a row between the Trust and members degenerated into fracas that left 14 people nursing serious injuries and more than 40 cows stolen. Community members who witnessed the clash say a section of the ranch top managers brandishing guns shot at the crowd randomly injuring the 14 people. The injured are nursing injuries at the Nakuru Level 5 Hospital. Out of the 14 injured persons, four are women. During the incident, the invaders of the ranch made away with the cows, however, 14 of them were recovered. Narok North MP Agnes Pareyio's vehicle was pelted with stones as she rushed to the scene to call for calm. The mob that was attracted to the ranch by sounds of gunshots, descended on the MP's vehicle with clubs, shattering the car's windscreen, prompting her bodyguards to whisk her away. A section of residents who spoke to The Standard at Ilkiremisho village led by Jackson Sururu said trouble began when a section of the local community invaded the ranch with their livestock forcing staff at the ranch to confront them. "Trust officials blocked our livestock from grazing in the ranch despite the ranch belonging to the community. Members of the community started throwing stones and clubs to fight back, some of the staff had guns and started shooting at us randomly," said Sururu. According to Stephen Yengo, there has been bad blood between the Trust and the community over what the community terms as bad leadership and mismanagement of resources. "The bad blood emanated after the ranch manager Nkawuatei issued a no-trespass order to the community in May," Yego claimed. He also said the term of the board had expired and called for an annual general meeting to replace the current office bearers. "As members of the ranch and neighbours here, we feel the current leadership of the ranch has overstayed in office. They have done seven years, which is a violation of our constitution," Yego said. He said the term of the board has expired and called for an annual general meeting to replace the current office bearers. Noomali Enolergerso, a member called on the leadership at Narok County to intervene and resolve the issues that include alleged management by the board and the Ilkiremisho community. She also called for the release of three youths who were arrested for allegedly invading the ranch. The ranch board of management chaired by Bishop Peter Nakola described the violence witnessed at the ranch as unfortunate, saying it was wrong for people to trespass into the property. "They invaded the ranch and grazed their animals on the land by force despite a notice by the management," he said. Bishop Nakola confirmed that over 40 cows belonging to the ranch were stolen during the mayhem. "Police managed to recover 14 cows. One cow was slaughtered while the remaining 26 cows are yet to be recovered," said the chairman. Nakola only a few individuals have been arrested for causing the chaos, and urged the police to conduct thorough investigations into the incident. "We have experienced the destruction of properties of Purko ranch. We condemn the act with the strongest terms as possible" added the bishop but kept away from commenting on the shooting of the section of the invaders. Nkaiwuatei, the trust CEO said the mechanization is key to realizing the trust is on a trajectory to reach out to various partners to raise funds (Grants and commercial financing) to scale up its Dairy, Potatoes, Meat and Wheat/Barley value chains to increase production and finally processing. He said the Trust has developed its 5-year strategic plan for 2020-2024 and the board approved investments in the dairy, meat, potatoes, and grains sectors, to the tune of over 3.5 Billion Investments In 2018, the Trust's gross income was Sh84 million, which dropped to Sh32 million the following year and recorded massive losses in 2020. Olokurto Sub-county police commander Harrison Magata denied that there was a shooting incident despite several people being admitted at the Nakuru Level 5 Hospital with gunshot wounds. "I am here in Tipis trading center and I am not aware of any shooting, despite the security personnel of the ranch who were cut with a sword on the hands," said Magata. The trust land on which the ranch lies is registered under the Purko community of Narok County. It was established in 1956 and has been operating as a Purko sheep ranch with a focus on livestock breeding for sale.

No end in sight to Purko Ranch woes, locals want trustees fired

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No end in sight to Purko Ranch woes, locals want trustees fired

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