Locals burn grazing fields to protest invasion by herders

The sole Fedheha dan in Mdangarani sub Location in Mitangani location in Ganze Constituency. [Maureen Ongala/Standard]

Residents of Mitangani in Ganze sub-county yesterday burnt several acres of grazing fields to protest invasion of their farms by herders.

The locals have, from time to time, clashed with pastoralists who have been flocking to the region in search of water and pasture.

One of the most affected areas is Mdangarani where many pastoralists have camped.

The locals accused the herders of releasing their livestock into their farms to destroy their crops.

The decision to destroy the grazing fields came after a series of meetings attended by local administrators failed to resolve the issue amicably.

They accused some administrators of forcing them to allow the herders to graze their animals on their farms.

One of the residents, Rama Shikari, claimed the administrators were pushing them to sign agreements with the herders to graze their animals on their farms.

Shikari, who spoke at Fedheha on Monday, claimed the herders had brought in more than 10,000 animals to the area.

“We are opposed to invasion of our county by the herders but the Government always allows them in. We don’t know why the Government has refused to drive them away. That is why people are burning all the grass, hoping this will make them leave our county for good,” said Shikari.

Ganze Deputy County Commissioner Richard Karani yesterday said the authorities would look into the claims the residents had raised.

“We have also asked the residents to stop destroying the grass to avoid a crisis because they too have livestock,” Karani said.