Government resettlement project brings hope to displaced Laikipia families

The lives of hundreds of families displaced last year at the height of banditry attacks in Laikipia are changing for the better.

The families uprooted from their homes and forced to seek refuge five months ago in unhabitable conditions as they fled nights of terror following incessant flare-ups of violence perpetrated by the assailants are picking up the pieces.

After months of suffering, the government has stepped in to not only bring them peace but hope through a resettlement programme that started three months ago. Efforts to rebuild the houses torched by the bandits in Ol-Moran are in top gear.

Residents of Kisii Ndogo village are the initial beneficiaries of the government-sponsored project that will be rolled out to other areas that bore the brunt of the violence.

Majority of the victims sought refuge at Ol-Moran trading centre where they rented houses, while others fled to Sipili and Rumuruti as a result of the deteriorating security that was also orchestrated by illegal grazers who drove herds of livestock to people’s farms causing huge and unprecedented losses.

A police unit and staff houses have been put up at Ol-Moran and Survey shopping centres respectively courtesy of the project spearheaded by the County government.

The beneficiaries have lauded the programme saying it will help them resettle and resume their normal lives.

They lamented the sorry state they have been living in since August last year at the peak of the chaos that resulted in massive losses of property and livestock.

The residents whose crops were destroyed are glaring at looming hunger unless the government provides them with relief food.

Speaking during an inspection tour of some of the projects, Laikipia Governor Ndiritu Muriithi and his deputy John Mwaniki pledged to support the affected families rebuild their lives.

The county government has embarked on various development projects in areas that bore the brunt of the attacks that led to the destruction of property.

The residents are enjoying relative peace from the ongoing security operation at the neighbouring Laikipia Nature Conservancy (LNC) where bandits are said to operate from.