NAIROBI, Kenya – Residents of Ratia Village in Laikipia North are demanding an independent investigation after a Grade 7 pupil was shot dead during a security operation targeting livestock that had strayed into farms.
The incident occurred on Monday, November 9, in Sossian Ward, triggering protests and renewed tension between pastoralists and farmers over access to grazing land.
The pupil, who attended Churo School, was reportedly herding his parents’ livestock during the school holidays when he was shot. Two other people were also injured during the operation, according to Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC).
Residents accuse security officers, including National Police Reservists (NPR), of using excessive force while moving thousands of animals from farms following the maize harvest.
They claim the operation disregarded an arrangement between pastoralists and farm owners that allowed livestock to graze on harvested fields after farmers were paid for the dry maize stalks.
The residents, predominantly from the Pokot community, say the arrangement had helped prevent disputes by giving farmers an opportunity to earn from crop residues while providing herders with feed for their animals.
They now accuse security officers of disrupting the agreement and escalating tensions in an area already grappling with disputes over land use and livestock movement.
Residents Want IPOA to Establish How Pupil Was Shot
The community wants the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to investigate the circumstances surrounding the pupil’s death and establish whether officers followed the law when conducting the operation.
They are also calling for the removal of the Officer Commanding Ol Moran Police Station, accusing the police commander of issuing orders that encouraged the use of lethal force.
The allegations have not been independently established, and the circumstances surrounding the shooting remain unclear.
Residents have further raised concerns over the treatment of girls during the operation, alleging that some were ordered to lie on the ground. They want the authorities to investigate the claims and establish whether the officers acted appropriately.
Beyond the investigation, the residents are demanding that firearms and ammunition issued to National Police Reservists and Kenya Police Reservists be withdrawn, arguing that some officers lack the discipline required to handle weapons responsibly.
Grazing Agreement at Centre of Dispute
The shooting has exposed tensions surrounding an arrangement that residents say had allowed pastoralists to access harvested maize farms without conflict.
Under the agreement, herders paid farm owners for dry maize stalks, allowing livestock to feed on the remaining crop material after harvesting.
Residents argue that the arrangement had provided a practical way for farmers and pastoralists to coexist, but accuse security officers of undermining it by driving animals away from the farms.
They want the government to address the dispute through engagement with both communities rather than security operations that could expose civilians to harm.
The latest incident comes amid heightened security concerns in parts of Laikipia, where competition over grazing land and livestock-related disputes have repeatedly triggered confrontations.
In a separate incident on November 7, a herder was reportedly killed and two police officers injured during a shootout involving security officers and armed herders in the Wangwashe area of Kirima Sub-County. Nairobi News reported that firearms carried by officers involved in that operation were withdrawn for ballistic examination.
The November 7 confrontation was a separate incident from the November 9 shooting in Ratia Village.
