Kyuso court stops eviction of camel herders from areas of Mwingi North

A court in Kyuso sub-county of Mwingi North in Kitui has slammed brakes on efforts to evict Somali camel herders from the former North Eastern Province who have encroached into Ngomeni ward of the county with hundreds of camels.

 

Kyuso Senior resident magistrate John Aringo has restrained the Kyuso Deputy County Commissioner, Reuben Kimosop and members of his security committee from interfering with the stay and presence of the invading camel herders in the area.

The court order comes at a time when Kimosop and the Kyuso sub-county police commander Beatrice Nduku were spearheading an operation to drive the camel herders from marginal areas of Ngomeni and neighbouring areas following a perpetual outcry by locals.

Area residents led by their MP Paul Nzengu have complained that the camels have been straying into farms and destroying crops and terraces. The MP has also raised concern over possible serious conflict over scarce water and pasture resources.

But on Monday September 12 camel herders led by one Hilole Roble obtained the order against the Deputy County Commissioner, the OCPD Kyuso, the OCS Ngomeni and the Attorney General of Kenya.

Peaceful existence

The order restrained the officers named as respondents in the main suit and their agents from evicting, encroaching, disposing, demolishing, wasting, alienating or in any way interfering with the peaceful existence of the applicants until the full hearing and determination of the suit.

Aringo gave an experte order and ordered that the main suit would be heard inter-parties on September 26th, 2022.

The order also restrained the respondents from blocking the applicants from accessing what they claimed were their water wells.

On Tuesday both Kimosop and Nduku confirmed that the have received the court order. The OCPD said that they will abide by the court order as they wait for the determination of the case.                                       

Recently Kimosop told MWINGI TIMES that the camel herders have stolen into areas of Ngomeni from Isiolo County with over 2000 camels. He said the herders accessed Ngomeni through the neighbouring Tseikuru ward.

On Saturday MP Nzengu visited the area of Ngomeni that has been swarmed by the camels and expressed concern over the security of his constituents. He said there was need to evict the outlanders and their camels.

STORY By MWINGI TIMES CORRESPONDENT