The headlines scream at you ,"Somalis ejected from Amboseli". KTN actually captured the news item through a sensational caption "The Somali agony". The story was a bout a group of 6 ranchers near Amboseli national park who were given a vacate notice by the KWS. They were told to go back to Garissa and Mandera. Apart from the misrepresenting headlines, the government's intention and the manner in which its handling the matter raises serious questions.
First of all the area is host to many ranchers of diverse ethnic backgrounds, Why has the government singled out Somalis only? Even if the crimes they are accused of perpetrating is true why is KWS resorting to collective punishment of all the Somali ranchers rather than dealing with the criminals among them. One of the lawyers representing the ranchers intimated to me that the real reason is rivalry between the Somali ranchers on one hand and the other ranchers and the local community on the other hand. The Somali ranchers have been reporting poachers to KWS, the same crime that they are now accused of. Whether they are guilty of the said offenses is for the government to proof in a court of law but natural justice dictates that they be presumed innocent until proven guilty. I mean they should not be told to vacate until they are proven guilty. The high court has already issued an injunction against their eviction and I hope the system will accord them a fair process.
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