HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICTS

Facebook | Messages – HUMAN WILDLIFE CONFLICTS ON THE RISE IN WESTGATE (NGUTUK O’NG’IRON) – PART I
INTRODUCTION
Westgate
Conservancy is one of the conservation areas in Samburu East like
Kalama, Sira, Namunyak and Meibai conservancies as well as Samburu Game
Reserve. Westgate Conservancy is under Ngutuk O’Ngiron group ranch which
is one of the group ranches in Samburu East like Girgir, Losesia,
Sebashe, Namunyak, Lodung’okwe and Kikwar.

In Samburu East, lands
have been adjudicated into communal group ranches and each ranch owns a
conservancy apart from Kikwar which was constituted recently mid this
year (2010). In our district, 100% of land is not arable and that is why
huge tracks of land remain idle but primarily used by our animals for
pasture and portions of it curved out for wildlife conservation in
respective group ranches for the purpose of tourism as the next possible
option for economic benefit. For more information about private land,
trust land and group ranches, please check the forum’s discussion board
for an article titled ‘Trust land, Private land and Group ranches”.

Westgate
Conservancy bounders Samburu Game Reserve on the western zone of the
reserve and Kalama conservancy on South Western part of Kalama’s.
Westgate area is upstream along the famous Waso Nyiro River, which is
the backbone of our conservancies and game reserves. As you move
upstream along Waso Nyiro, there is change of altitude with better
vegetation cover. That makes Westgate a good area endowed with high
wildlife population.

The people of Ngutuk O’Ngiron area live in
traditional Samburu manyattas. Development and literacy level in the
area is quite low. Modernity is only in conservancies coming up, tourist
lodges, campsites and white missionaries visiting the area bringing
development like constructing primary school, digging boreholes,
supplying relief among many other things.

Samburu people have
coexisted with wild animals and conservation has been critical part of
their culture. According to their traditions, they are not allowed to
kill wild animals unless they do so for retaliation e.g. if a lion
attacks their animals or people. They are also not allowed to cut down a
standing tree but parts of its branches and that adequately answers our
question why is wildlife found abundantly in Maa areas only, in East
Africa? Maasai Mara is there today because of the culture of Maasai,
Serengeti in Tanzania, Amboseli in Kajiado and Samburu Game Reserve in
Samburu Kenya are there today because of our common Maa cultures.
The article below is writen and sent in by Tom Lolosoli.
HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICTS

But
as modernity creeps in this virgin lands endowed with wildlife
plentifully, man is changed to something different. They start realizing
the value of these animals in various negative angles like noticing
that some animals are carrying expensive wildlife trophies, others with
bush meet on high demand and natural protectors of the wildlife
resources are now turned to its enemies. That is why so many
anti-poaching agencies local and international are formed each passing
day to come for the mercy and protection of these animals. Governments
are left grappling with measures to prevent further loses of animals at
alarming rates that drives some species to be declared extinct.
Development in various areas of the country seals migratory animals’
routes like for the case of elephants. This again brings human-wildlife
conflicts as animals forces their ways across private farms destroying
properties worth thousands and even at times millions of shillings. When
man poaches grazers uncontrollably, it reduces the food stock of wild
carnivores forcing them to attack domestic animals in peoples’ homes.
That one again increases animosity between man and the beasts. Though
man and wild animals have been coexisting together, but with a buffer
that if any, whether man or the animal crosses the buffer at a wrong
time and situation, either party risks attack. This again put man and
the wild animals at a constant conflict.

CASES OF WILD ANIMALS ATTACKS IN WESTGATE

There
have been cases of wild animals attacking residents of Ngutuk O’ngiron
area in Westgate. Some had been reported and others not. To cover a few,
let us start with the case of old man Piritian Lekoitip who was
attacked by a rogue elephant in 2008. Just while walking on his way
home, the old man encountered an Elephant accidentally at a close
distance, before he made a wise decision to escape, the elly turned
quickly and shoved him away by its tusks. Before the Tusker could figure
out where the man lied after throwing him several yards away, he was
lucky to get back on his feet and running away to a hide out.
Nevertheless, he was hit hard on the side breaking one of his ribs. He
was lucky enough to escape alive.

On 3rdofMarch2010, an elephant
killed a young boy. Like the old man, the boy just encountered the
elephant mid way but sad enough he was not lucky to escape the trap of
death and the beast was already on him trampling on his body to death.

Just
some few months after that, a crocodile attacked a young girl from
Lenakio’s family while watering her jerrican on the side of the river
bank mangling and eating her completely and the only thing left was a
necklace she wore around her neck.

On June 2010, a lion felled
two camels prompting its owners to retaliate by killing it. They however
presented the beasts trophies (Skin and claws) to Westgate Conservancy
manager Mr. Daniel Letooye. They were advised not to repeat the same but
to report to authorities first.

On 4thofJuly2010, while grazing
their animals out in the fields, an elephant attacked a young girl the
late Saliwan Leparachau. She was trodden and flattened on the ground
several times by the beast that left rescuers wondering the extent of
smash up of her body. They hardly identified the head and the rest of
her limbs.

The following day on 5thofJuly2010, a woman called
Stella Lentiyoo was attacked by an elephant and escaped alive with a
broken leg. She is still recuperating in the hospital.

This month
of August 2010, an elephant again attacked an old man from Lesil family
but he was lucky to escape unhurt and the list may be endless.

End of Part I, continue with Part II on the next message

KENYA WILDLIFE SERVICE COMPENSATION BUREAUCRACIES

Facebook | Messages – HUMAN WILDLIFE CONFLICTS ON THE RISE IN WESTGATE (NGUTUK O’NG’IRON) – PART II

KENYA WILDLIFE SERVICE COMPENSATION BUREAUCRACIES

To lower the conflicts between man and wild animals, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) wildlife conservation and management act section 62(1) says: -

“where any person suffers any bodily injury from or is
killed by any animal, the person injured or in the case
of a deceased person, any other person who was
dependent upon him at the date of his death may make
application to a district committee established by this
section for the injury or death;
Provided that no compensation shall be claimable where
the injury or death occurred –
a) in the course of any conduct on the part of the person
concerned which would constitute an offence under this
Act: -
2) for the purposes of receiving and considering
applications under subsection (1) and of awarding
compensation thereunder, there is hereby established
in each district a committee which shall consist of : -
(a) the District Commissioner, who shall be the
Chairman of the Committee
c) …
d) …
e) …
f) …
(g)
“A District Commissioner may co-opt any person whom
he/she considers may assist if either generally or for
the consideration of any particular case of compensation
awarded under this section shall be payable out of
moneys provided by Parliament for that purpose.”

How many people in Samburu have benefited from the claims they presented to KWS? How many others know the channels to follow in claiming compensations? However, we know that there are bureaucracies and delays of claims follow ups and payments. KWS personnel, police and other stakeholders have reported to some scenes of death of some cases with the aid of Westgate Conservancy but still, very little efforts have been realized in compensation claims.

The first community to try its luck in this scheme was the Maasai. We have been seeing many of them complaining of dissatisfaction, period and hassles it takes one to secure payments. This again put the Maasai community in a coalition cause with KWS that saw them going intentionally to a lions killing spree. In fact, the scheme heightened human-wildlife conflicts.

Among the requirements one is supposed to present are letter from the hospital, postmortem certificate, burial permit, police documents among an array of many I have not listed. There is no compensation of costs one is incurring during the hopeless and determined chase of the claims’ payments. All these prove difficult to Samburu residents in Ngutuk O’Ngiron to secure payments because for one, they follow traditional practices when handling dead bodies. They are not allowed by traditions to carry a dead body to hospital and in this case, the closest health center is 50KMS away. The closest police station to report the incidences for filling statements is also 50Kms away in Archer’s Post. The people are illiterate to know the next formal steps they can take in general. All these technically lock them out of the compensation claims requirements. For those who are lucky to secure compensation, complains of its meager amount. It is a challenge and the whole thing needs to be reviewed for effectiveness to stop possible reprisal by community people against rogue wild animals.

EDUCATING AND INVOLVING COMMUNITY IN CONSERVATION

Westgate Conservancy headed by its manager Mr. Daniel Letooye and Ewaso Lions Project founder Shivani Bhalla, have been involving community people in conservation programs in order to minimize human-wildlife conflicts to rock bottom.

A lot of knowledge is now passed on the value of wildlife to our communities, the country and the globe in general. To make them feel part of the process, the army of the community and the people most vulnerable in killing animals, the Samburu warriors, have been engaged in a newly launched project called the Warrior Watch Programme. Warrior Watch is a unique conservation programme in Samburu that engages warriors, or morans, in active wildlife conservation. Warrior Watch was co-founded in early 2010 by the Westgate Community Conservancy and Ewaso Lions, a project that takes a community-based approach to predator research and conservation in northern Kenya.

Through Warrior Watch, warriors report on wildlife sightings and issues such as conflict in exchange for educational lessons and a food stipend. The warriors are trained on data collection, basic wildlife ecology, conservation and security issues within the Group Ranch, and the economic value of wildlife through tourism.

The two entities have also been organizing marathon ceremonies to bring community people together and passing conservation message. Some of these ceremonies have been attended by high profiled people in KWS like Mr Julius Kipng’etich who is the body’s head and director, Samburu Game Reserve chief wardens, all conservancies’ managers, political leaders among others.

The community people are also advised on danger zones and how to avoid risks when crossing animal paths. Children are advised to be in the company of seniors and parents are cautioned from leaving children on their own even while grazing their animals in the fields. This way we can see risks going down to zero while conserving our wild animals.

Thanks

Tom Lolosoli
Secretary SEDF

SAMBURU FLOODS

My deepest heart felt sympathy goes to the families of the departed country men. May you be strong enough to fight the sorrow during this difficult times. You have surely paid the ultimate price for our poor planning, poor prediction, poor management.
I cannot fail to put all the blame not on the mother nature but on my government for poor governance! Government main duty is, to protect us! Even against floods

. Did you see any bridge there? what’s the urgency of crossing flooded rivers? those people left their homes, children and other family members waiting for the goat to be sold for them to eat. Do you see the urgency now? Infrastructure my fellow country man, Infrastructure for the Samburu People. Mind you, it is Samburu East, remember what happened to them the last one year? Letimalo, consolidate help from the country’s PM to ask the government to finance infrastructure projects in you jurisdiction.

SAMBURU FLOODS 1300HRS 16TH.mov

MARALAL-WAMBA ROAD SECURITY – From Kevin Olesipna Lemantaan

Facebook | Messages – MARALAL-WAMBA ROAD SECURITY – From Kevin Olesipna Lemantaan

Maralal 4th May 2010

On 4th may2010, I was planning to drive back to Archer’s from Maralal. I felt insecure given the shaky security situation on our roads especially in Barsilinga River with an history of deadly banditry attacks by rogue young generation of morans called the Lkichami. But I was assured by the OCDP that the road is now safer and Kenya police reservist (KPR) has been installed in various points along the way. On my way, I came across two KPR men from Archer’s Post who asked for a lift. Apparently we knew each other well and I was quick to offer them a ride knowing they would provide security. I warned them to be alert because the road is not secure in some identified points.

When we reached Barsilinga River, armed men stopped us but fortunately it was the KPR asking for a token. I asked them if they are getting paid for this. They said no and to make it worse they only had 2 bullets each. I was so worried how could the men defend vehicles and matatus plying the road from attack by rogue Lkichami with 100-200 rounds of ammunition?

From Kevin Olesipina Lemantaan
********************************************************
There is a local who lost his life in the same spot by deliberate killings by this scalawag young generation of morans. There are several attacks and robberies done to locals using the route. Even early this year, a crew of 6 people including parish priest on Archer’s Post catholic parish vehicle were molested on the same spot and they had to plead a lot to be set free after they were robbed everything. This has been a challenge to the district to date and the reason of installation of the KPR on hot spots. Even on 15th of Mar this year, when I passed by the same place on my way from Maralal to Nairobi via Isiolo, surely I saw two home guards seated nearby under an acacia tree and immediately I guessed they may be providing security following notorious cruelty caused by the morans. The place is so remote with a seasonal Barsilinga River, no water, no food and a nearby commercial center Lodung’okwe is about 22kms away. There is a shallow bridge in poor condition cut off from the road on both ends that makes drivers to slow down while crossing over it. That is what makes the warriors to view the place as the best hitting point

As per Kevin’s worries, the guards are poorly supplied with adequate munitions, lack of payments and/or allowances and ends up begging living on the mercy of matatu drivers and other well wishers from the passing by vehicles.

The KPR should be treated well, financed, maintained and supplied with all hardware they need for their roles. This will restore sanity in our roads and see an end to road banditry within and without the district. But also the Waso peace caravan should not only address the issue of cattle rustling alone, but also banditry and other troubles caused by warriors to the society. If you are reading this and feels you are in a position to let the authorities and especially the OCPD to do something, please assist.

Thanks

Tom Lolosoli
Secretary
SEDF

A Letter of Appreciation from Michael Lolwerikoi, On Behalf of Pastoral Indigenous Community Samburu East

Published by Cultural Survival.

Date: 05/10/2010 

“On behalf of the Pastoral Nomadic Indigenous Samburu Community of Northern Kenya: the local leaders, the elders, the counselors, the mothers, the children and our Member of Parliament, The Hon Raphael Letimalo, please accept our heartfelt indigenous greetings: Supa! We convey our gratitude to you and your team of experts for your visit to our pastoral region of Samburu East. We salute you for your courageous decision to lead a team to come and be with us and share our pains and traumatic experiences which we encountered through hands of powerful   aggressors. At a such time as this: time of agony, hopelessness and despair you came from a far country to meet us, sit with us, listen to our sad stories, witnessed the emptiness of our homes, and shared the tears and the sorrows of our pastoral community. Thank You!

Your courage and the risk of traveling by dirt and dusty roads is amazing to us! You came to be in solidarity with us. You had the courage to leave the comfort of your home in America. You and your team agreed to drink our dirty and contaminated waters from the Creeks. Thank You!

Your visit in the month of January 2010 has enriched our oral history and culture. As a result of brutal attack which happened to us in 2009 and 2010, we were literally left with nothing. Our only source of livelihood and identity, the cattle were taken away from us. Our houses which symbolize our cultural identity were burnt into ashes. Our women were tortured and abused. Our men were beaten, injured and others killed. Our young children disappeared mysteriously.

The brutal intrusion and the pollution of our land by the enemies of our culture and destiny have altered and dismantled our oral history. We shall never be the same again. The structural violence that has been done to us has constantly increased the level of our insecurity. We will never trust their administrative powers again.

We thank you for your documentation. We thank you for writing down the fatal impact and the confiscations of properties, the attack of our beloved ones, and the deliberate attack of our culture and identity. Through the power of this documentation, the Global world is now aware of our current limbo state.

We thank you for all the correspondences that have been submitted to those in authority. We hope they have eyes to see and ears to listen and the hearts of compassion and humane. We thank you for making all these appeals on our behalf.

At the moment, we have no gift of cattle to give you. But we have a treasured hidden gold that we can give you. This is our prayers and our cultural heritage. We pray that the Creator, EnKai will take care of you, your staff and your Board of Trustees.  We welcome you again to our pastoral land. Given the space and time of our communal harmony, please know that you have a place in our culture. You are no longer a stranger but one of us. Welcome!”

Michael Lolwerikoi

On Behalf of Pastoral Indigenous Community Samburu East

Lifted from Cultural Survival

 

 

Samburu East District – Assessment and Repairs of Boreholes, year 2009

1.1 Wamba Town
Wamba town is the administrative and Commercial Centre of the Samburu East District. It has retail shops, butcheries, posho mills, low/medium class hotels, a district hospital, administrative offices and divisional police station, a post office and several education institutions..

The town has greater potential for further development considering its commercial and trading opportunities and its location as the nearest other town is Isiolo is located about 90km away.

1.2 Location
Wamba Town is located in Wamba division which is one of the two divisions in Samburu East District and is administered by a County Council.

1.3 Rainfall
The mean annual rainfall is estimated at 540mm which follows a fairly erratic pattern varying significantly both in time and space. Both short and long rains exist. The driest months are January and February. The long rainy season fall in the months of March, April and May. Short rains occur during the month of July and August sometimes extending into September

1.4 Temperature
The maximum temperature is 33.40c which occurs in the month of March while the minimum temperature is 17.40c which occurs in January and December.

1.5 Geology
The geology of Samburu District consists of two major units namely the basement and the tertiary volcanic. Ground water is found in both units.

1.6 Land and Soils
Samburu District is an ASAL area whose soil development has been greatly, influenced by the rock type, climate and topography. The soils are in most areas generally low in organic matter due to low density of plant life and fast microbial activities. They have low fertility and are inherently shallow permitting only a limited capacity for water.

1.7 Development Plan
There exists a Physical Development which was prepared in 1991 but to date has not been approved. The old Town is up to the Standard of the Physical Development Plan.

However, the new part of the town is encroaching on road reserve and hence requires urgent attention.

1.8 Existing Wamba Water Supply

1.8.1 Source
Wamba town is served by water from two small reservoirs located at mountain forest 5km away.The upper reservoir is smaller than the lower one and both he along the same stream. The upper reservoir has water throughout the year, though its yield greatly decreases during the dry season. The lower reservoir receives overflow and seepage water from the upper reservoir and for this reason it tends to dry up when the yield from the upper source drops down.

From the two reservoirs 104m3/ day is harvested for Wamba town supply.

1.8.2 Gravity Main
The gravity main consists of 400m 1 ½ inch class B GI pipe and another 441m. 1 ¼ inch class B GI pipe from the upper reservoir to the lower reservoir. Another section comprises of 42770m 2 inch class B PVC pipe with a few rocky areas fitted with GI pipes of the same size.

1.8.3 Clear Water Storage Tanks
A ground level masonry tank (GLMT) of capacity 48m3 is located at game station on elevation 1402m above sea level. Another 50m3 GLMT is also located above D.Cs office at altitude 1355m above sea level.

1.8.4 Distribution
A total of 6km distribution here comprising of 2’’ PVC class C and 1 ½ GI class B pipes. The reticulation system is in poor condition which need to be repaired. There are approximately 200 connections giving use to about 1,600 consumers.

2.0 Dam Location
The location of the proposed site is located 36031’E, 1045’N topo sheet (1:50000) for Wamba. It is located at the confluence of wamba and Sere-Rongai Streams with an altitude of 1429 masl.

3.0 Detailed Investigations
Implementation of the dam shall include the following stages:
A. Hydrogeological survey to establish the geology of the catchment, the reservoir and dam site areas.
B. Geotechnical exploration to determine;
a. The depth of bed rock at the dam site.
b. Characteristics of rocks and soils.
c. The geological characteristics which are of interest are:
i. Thickness of the strata to carry the weight of the dam.
ii. The inclination of the strata.
iii. Permeability through different strata in foundation.
iv. The existing faults and fissures.

C. Foundation
Foundation for the dam should be on impermeable formation, in order to avoid seepage under the dam. Sufficient geotechnical exploration will be carried in the reservoir area to ensure that there are no faults or fracture zones. If the presence of fracture zones is confirmed during the geotechnical exploration, grouting will be required.

4.0 Reservoir Characteristics

4.1 Useful/Demand Storage
It is the storage above the lowest outlet level. This is normally the silt level of a dam up to the highest controlled water surface (spillway crest). The minimum useful storage for the Dam is determined using water demand for wamba town by 2020 for 6 months dry spell = 894*30*6= 160,920m3

4.2 Dead Storage
It’s the storage below the outlet level of a reservoir and not susceptible to release by usual outlet means. Dead storage is provided in the reservoir to absorb the silt content without affecting the useful storage. The design of a dam of magnitude of Sere-Rongai is designed to be 20 years. The volume of silt expected to be accumulated in the reservoir during the 50 years and using the rate of 150m3/km2/year translates to25,500m3.

This site is located in the forest reserve and siltation is expected to be lower then 500m3//km2/year according to design guidelines of MOW & I.

4.3 Evaporation Losses
Evaporation in Wamba is 2.0m annually meaning 0.17m monthly evaporation. Therefore the total evaporation volume for 10-month maximum dry spell is 0.17*6*20,000 = 20,400m3

4.5 Gross Storage
It is the storage above the lowest river bed level of a reservoir up to the highest controlled water surface (spill way crest). This is equal to the storage available in dead storage, useful storage, mean annual evaporation plus the seepage.
This is 160,920+25,500+20,400= 206,820 m3

5.0 Dam dimensions

5.1 Top Crest width
Width of the Crest is given by
B = H/5 + 3
Where; B is the crest width.
H is the height of the dam.

A minimum width of 3m is recommended.
With the proposed height of the dam 7m
Crest width, B = 7/5 + 3 = 4.0m.

5.2 Base width
The upstream and the downstream slopes of dam of the dam are 1:3 and 1:2.5 respectively. Therefore minimum base width will be given as

Base width, W= 3h + 2.5h + B

Where:
W= Width of base (m)
h=Height of dam (m) = 7m
B= the top width.
Thus W =3 x 7 + 2.5 x 7 + 4 = 60.0m

6.0 Summary of Dam Details – Sere-Rongai Dam details

Elevation of the dam ———– 1429masl
Catchment area —– ————8.5km2
Area of the reservoir ———- 0.02km2
Maximum height of the dam ——- 7m
Annual runoff ————————-3,400,000 m3
Impounded reservoir volume ——210,000 m3
Demand storage ——————160,920 m3
Evaporation loses —————–20,400m3
Dead Storage ———————–25,500 m3
Gross Storage ———————–704,000 m3
Available spare capacity ———–616,000 m3
Crest width ———————–4m
Bottom width ————————42.5m
Embankment length ——————150m
Calculated volume of the embankment— 16,000m3
Length of the longest stream ——-7.5km
Slope of the catchment area ——-3.52%
Distribution main from the proposed treatment works — 7.1Km
Elevation head —————–121m
Head loss(150mm GI Pipe) —- 35.5m
Useful head ——————— 85.5m

6.0 Water Treatment System
A full conventional water treatment works with a daily treatment capacity of 894m3/day be constructed. Appendix 2 shows the cost estimate.

7.0 Balancing Tank
A clear water reservoir be constructed of 850m3/day as a balancing Tank.

8.0 Distribution System
A 150mm Ø,100m long pipe should be laid to connect water from the Sere-Rongai surface dam to the treatment works and another 150mm Ø, 7,100m main from the treatment works to Wamba.

9.0 COST ESTIMATE

Item Amount
• Construct a new dam of capacity at least 200,000m3 —– 30,125,000
• Construct a treatment works of capacity 900m3/day —- 17,500,000
• Upgrade the Gravity main(1,533m) to 6 inch upvc class D —- 2,214,000
• Procure 1 septic tanks exhauster ——- 3,500,000
TOTAL 53,339,000

PREPARED BY
DISTRICT WATER OFFICER
SAMBURU EAST DISTRICT

SBMITTED TO
DROUGHT MANAGEMENT OFFICER (DMO)
SAMBURU CENTRAL

DISTRICT WATER OFFICER
SAMBURU EAST DISTRICT
P O BOX 24
WAMBA

Related articles

• Water restrictions in the UK (autonetinsurance.co.uk)
• TVA opens spill gates of all nine dams in Tennessee River system (knoxnews.com)
• Water from Poondi reservoir being transferred (thehindu.com)
• Sierra river dam plan dropped (mercurynews.com)
• Sierra river dam plan dropped (mercurynews.com)

PROPOSED KALAMA/WASO EDUCATION FUND – Details of the meeting PART I

PROPOSED KALAMA/WASO EDUCATION FUND – Details of the meeting PART I

Sunday, April, 24, 2010
The meeting was opened by Mr. Peter Lechakwet explaining the reason of that memorable day’s gathering and its set agenda. The sole reason of the meeting was to introduce the idea of initiating a bursary scheme for our bright and unfortunate students by engaging the local professionals and other stakeholders to join hands for monthly contributions to a common pool that will see destitute children pursuing their dreams in furthering their education.

He noted that there are many students excelling in their national examinations but with no means to advance their education. They normally try seeking assistance from group ranches, CDF and other local institutions but to no avail or reliability because of financial difficulties also these entities undergoes.

He also went ahead suggesting looking for ways we can get funding from other sources like foreign sponsors but firstly after making a successful kick starter ourselves. He said this will be the first time professionals are organizing a continuous fundraising for the better of our successful children from the have-not families.

But he distinguished the idea of having an organized and reliable fund is by forming a managing committee that will oversea the contribution and disbursement processes. He also said group ranch and constituency development fund (CDF) should join the fray by contributing to the proposed kitty. This will see more money being raised to assist our performing students reliably.

He said Charity begins at home and we are the one obligated to give the idea a green light. He went ahead saying he had some time discussing the idea with the area MP Hon Raphael Letimalo and he is ready to support the initiative.

Mr Peter continued by insisting that parents should also be part of this noble idea by contributing something once a year either in cash, cheque or in kind because they are the ones being relieved off the burden.
He also congratulated the Samburu East Development Forum for its excellent job in generating and disseminating informative posts to the people of Samburu East, the larger Samburu and its stakeholders.

Gir gir primary school headmaster Mr Ambrose Lekoitip seconded the noble idea and thanked Mr. Peter for having thought of this great initiative. As a teacher, he has seen a lot that many students undergo and has been very sympathetic. The congregation couldn’t believe when the headmaster said some bright Primary schools kids after making successfully to form one, they have been compelled to come back to class 7 because of lack of fees for high schools. He went ahead noting that motivation lucks in the children because of poverty and lack of reliable assistance from relevant development bodies and leaders.

He said education is key to a better transformation and the only way to reduce dependency ratio in the area. He was worried that most of the touts in Archer’s town were clever and destitute children who lacked means to prosper their bigger dreams in furthering their Education.

Miss Christine Namunyak an employee with Christian children Fund (CCF) added that somebody must have seen something to bring this issue to the people. She agreed that somebody like Peter must have witnessed desperate children seeking bursary from group ranch and Mr lekoitip must have seen a lot as earlier said pupils recycling back from High School to Primary with hopes there will be God send saviors in future to help them realize their dreams of furthering their education.

She said Archer’s is a very small place to sort out its problems and the only thing needed is unity from the leading lights. She went ahead saying there are many orphaned children because of HIV/AIDS and these are among the brightest kids in dire need of assistance. She challenged the gathering by saying that people should stop being selfish and think of others as well. There is a lot of money normally spent over the weekends in pubs filling our stomachs but this is the time we should consider giving back to the community. By just sacrificing some extra luxury we can help our people in need a greater deal.

PART II – Next message

Complied by : Tom Lolosoli
Secretary Samburu East Development Forum

SAMBURU EAST RESIDENT APPOINTED SOUTHERN SUDAN ENVOY

Cleland Leshore has been appointed by government of Kenya as a new envoy to Southern Sudan. We the locals of Samburu are proud for this great news and surely there is realization of ethnic balance of civil service jobs fresh recruitment, appointments and promotions in the current coalition government

The office of the Prime Minister earlier this year cautioned the ministry of Labor and Human Resources Development as well as parastatals chiefs to be fair in job promotions and recruitment. Hon Raila Odinga the Prime minister Republic of Kenya went ahead saying all those government bodies chiefs who knows they have been favoring their tribes than others and leaving out especially the neglected and minority tribes, to be ready for repercussions or take necessary steps to correct their mistakes.

WASO PEACE CARAVAN WORKSHOP ONGOING IN NYERI GREEN HILLS HOTEL

Samburu East/Isiolo peace caravan dubbed Waso peace caravan is on going in Nyeri Green Hills hotel. Representatives from both districts are in attendance in good numbers and details of the workshop shall be released to you on Monday or Tuesday

Sent in by Tom Lolosoli

Proposed Kalama/Waso education fund

On the evening of 24thofApril2010, Peter Lechakwet the Kalama conservancy manager in Gir gir group ranch called for an elites meeting to discus for the first time ever an initiative to draw funds from all working class in the area to a common pool for assistance of needy students in the group ranch area.

As Kalama manager he has experienced the financial difficulties the ranch normally has to get enough funds that will run its affairs as well as apportioning some money for schools bursaries. As a first step, he thought of engaging all working elites to be contributing about between Kshs 1000 – 2000 ($13 – 26) per month for the project.

Mr John Lemasa who is also Kalama Conservancy community manager and Samburu East CDF chairman, compiled a list of 300 names that he believed are local elites who have undergone difficult circumstances to achieve the objectives of their lives and would really be ready to make assistance for the proposed project. He supported the idea by saying the initiative would help to boost local bursary schemes.

All in attendance were for the idea and many details shall be compiled and released to you on Thursday.

Thanks

Tom Lolosoli

Secretary

Samburu East Development Forum

SUCCESSFUL PEACE CARAVAN NOW GOES TO SAMBURU EAST – Samburu Professionals Association (SAPA)

Dear All,

This is to inform you all that The Peace Caravan that is Chaired by Richard lesiempe -SAPA chairman is about to roll out planned peace initiative program for samaburu East.

You are all aware that we at SAPA have been running peace programs at Samburu west and it was just a matter of time before we roll out samburu east programs.

Its is the people of Samburu east who know better the challenges and problem facing them and thier neighbours the Borana,Merus and Somalis.It is in this spirit that we are calling upon all SAPA members from Samburu East to come up with ideas on how to go about this.

We need to get contacts from Isiolo& Merti,Meru.We need to get professionals working here in nairiobi for the purposes of the weekly meetings in nairobi and definately have grassroots contacts.

We need people at the ground from lodungokwe,wamba,Naisunyai,archers,westgate,Ngutuk o ngiron,lerata,sereolipi ndonyo wasin.

Guys we need to get this rolling.Soon i will be calling for a meeting to chart the way forward.

Please pass this info to the rest that i might have missed.

We need peace!-peace can only be achieved if we talk to our neighbours.

Peace to All.

Richard lolosoli.

SAPA-Assist org Secretary.

Samburu Campaign Update

Date: 04/14/2010We are encouraged that there have been no more full-scale police attacks on Samburu villages since Cultural Survival’s research delegation gathered evidence of the attacks in January. In February, after receiving Cultural Survival’s report of human rights abuses by Kenyan police forces against the Samburu people, Kenya’s Minister of Internal Security ordered police forces to refrain from using force and to conduct the disarmament operation in northern Kenya peacefully. The Samburu and other pastoralists in the region have responded positively by voluntarily turning in hundreds of illegal weapons.

Peace was shattered at mid-day on March 24, however, when a car-full of Administrative Police picked up two Samburumorans (young men) who were herding sheep near their village, Kirish.  According to the testimony of the one moran who survived, the police forced him and his friend to drink an unknown substance that burned their mouths and lips. Policemen stabbed both men in the neck. Nakini Lemoyog died at the scene, but Lmaino Lekoloi was able to escape. Fortunately he was found by passersby who took him in a vehicle to the Archer’s Post clinic for emergency medical treatment.

The outraged and grieving Samburu community organized demonstrations and roadblocks, demanding an investigation and prosecution of the police officers responsible for these crimes.  For the first time in local memory, the government did organize a line-up of suspects and called witnesses to identify them.  According to reports, several people saw the police when they stopped the morans but did not see the murder occur; others saw the group of police after the crime when they stopped to drink sodas in a nearby village. Cultural Survival has demanded prosecution of the offending police officers and an end to impunity for all police officers who commit crimes and human rights violations against the Samburu people.

Cultural Survival’s full Sambauru report will be released on April 20 and hand-delivered on April 21 to James Anaya, UN Special Rapporteur for Indigenous Peoples. We will submit the report to the Kenyan government, the US State Department and other government embassies in Kenya.  Look for the report titled, “When the Police are the Prosecutors: Human Rights Violations by Police in Samburu East and Isiolo Districts, Kenya” on the Cultural Survival website.

You can help us build pressure on the Kenyan government by writing letters. Please join us in sending letters andemails to the Kenyan government

Lifted from cultural survival