By our correspondent
A Kenyan lawmaker has threatened to evict thousands of Somali herders in the country’s eastern region, a neighborhood of livestock-rich Northeastern counties.
In a post on social networking site Facebook, Kitui East MP Nimrod Mbai has asked all Somali herders in his constituency to leave in 10 days.
“Locals have been suffering as the herders have encroached on their farms. They need to save their source of livelihood,” he said “We have tried everything but they keep encroaching on our land. We cannot watch as they feed their camels on our farms.”
A photo of the MP seemingly intimidating a Somali herd-boy is still circulating online angering Somalis as government and regional authorities call for caution.
Kitui deputy county commissioner Benjamin Nzioka asked the herders to leave peacefully so normalcy is restored. “We understand there is shortage of water, and that they need to feed their animals, but we hope they can solve this amicably and that everyone’s routine will resume.” commissioner was quoted by a local newspaper
The lawmaker’s sentiment widely published both in mainstream and social media has sent shivers down the spine of many Somalis living in Kenya, terming it as ‘unacceptable and inhuman demand’
Somalis living in the country have since started a barrage of online war of words criticizing the inefficiency of the government to investigate and apprehend the lawmaker.
“This is a classical case of warmongering, an MP asking citizens to leave their country is a new low in Kenyan leadership” Ahmed Abdulkarim a social media user said “The government must react with full force”
