Isiolo leaders demand eviction of migrant herders from Merti

Isiolo leaders want the State to evict migrant herders from Merti sub-county.

The leaders led by Governor Abdi Guyo and Woman Representative Mumina Bonaya, gave the Interior Ministry 48-hour ultimatum to evict herdsmen who migrated to grazing fields in the area.

They blamed the group for the rising insecurity in Bulesa location's Biliqo, Kom, Quro Bisan Owo and Sabarwawa grazing fields.

After a day-long tour of the grazing zones and engagement with the herdsmen and village elders, the leaders held a final meeting at Quro Bisan Owo.

Based on the decision of the stakeholders from Chari ward, the elders resolved to have the herders from Samburu East evicted if they fail to voluntarily return home.

The migrants were accused of flaunting the Modogashe Declaration of 1999, under the umbrella of Pastoralists Parliamentary Group (PPG).

It was organised by the present National Drought Management Authority (NDMA) and backed by the regional security committees of North Eastern, Eastern and Rift Valley.

The declaration stated that herders who want to migrate to another location outside their districts (now counties) must seek permission from their host, and if granted, specify the duration of stay, and should not enter with illegal weapons and respect the traditional pasture management system of the locals.

The residents told the leaders that, “the migrant herders forcefully entered our grazing zones with illegal weapons. They did not consult any elder, even our chiefs were surprised by their presence here.”

Yussuf Jillo said the Isiolo herders were forced out of their grazing fields by the 'strangers' and many villages were deserted after the residents fled for fear of being killed or losing their livestock to rustlers.

Three people were killed last Saturday during an attempted cattle rustling incident near Biliqo Marara area.

On October 17, 2025, five people were killed near Kom grazing area and later two workers of a road construction company were also killed.

Ms Bonaya blamed the migrants 'for flaunting rules that underpin good neighbourliness,' by usurping the power of the local elders on usage and access to water and pasture thereby blocking the locals from using their own natural resources.

"Our communities in Chari and Cherab wards have been forcefully displaced from their grazing lands and being killed and their animals driven away," she said.

She added, "while as leaders we have always impressed on our people to maintain peace and harmony -advising them against taking law into their hands in the name of revenge but, sadly the trend (of attacks) had continued."

"This (trend of attacks) can’t continue unattended anymore, not when we have laws and government agencies tasked with the responsibility of protecting lives and property of all Kenyans," said Bonaya.

Mr Guyo called on security personnel to remain in all areas hard hit by insecurity in Merti sub county.

He said the team should also provide a buffer zone along the border to ensure no criminal crosses over to either sides.

The county government dispatched two trucks ferrying foodstuff, fuel for generators and patrol vehicles and non--food items like tarpaulins for the herders.

"A security team from around (Merti) had been reinforced by others from the county and they will patrol the area and stay here for as long as possible," the governor said before the arrival of the security team commanders.

He urged the herders to remain in their grazing zones, used during the drought period saying that security had been beefed up.

“Your safety and your livelihood matter to us all and the police have given us a guarantee that they would secure the entire place,” he told the herders.

However, the governor said that incidents of banditry should not be associated with any particular community and should instead be taken as criminal acts.

"Blaming an entire community is ethnic profiling, where a criminal act is turned into collective blame. Every criminal will be treated strictly as a criminal," he said.

Earlier, the leaders made the same call in a closed door meeting with top Eastern region security team led by Regional Police Commander Hillary Birgen and Isiolo county security teams led by County Commissioner David Kiprop and County Police Commander Paul Wambugu.

A multi-agency security team would be stationed along the Samburu East and Merti Sub County border to patrol the area.