Steve Leakono, a member of Samburu Professionals Association in Nairobi on September 25 /HANDOUT
The Samburu Professionals Association has called on the government to establish a transparent mechanism for compensating families whose livestock have reportedly been killed during ongoing security operations in Samburu East.
Speaking at a press conference in Nairobi on Thursday, SPA member Steve Leakono said preliminary information collected by teams working on the ground indicated that at least 717 animals had so far been accounted for.
The reported losses include 415 goats, 352 cattle and 50 donkeys.
Leakono said the figures were not final, as teams were still documenting cases and reaching out to affected families in different parts of the region.
He said some households had not yet been reached, meaning the actual number of animals lost could be higher.
“Our teams on the ground are still documenting cases, and the actual number of animals lost could be higher,” Leakono said.
The association said its teams were working with affected families to document reported losses, verify ownership of the animals and compile information that could be used to support compensation claims.
Leakono said the exercise was intended to establish an accurate record of the reported losses and ensure that affected families were not excluded from any compensation process.
He said livestock was central to the livelihoods of pastoralist communities, making the reported losses a serious economic concern for affected households.
“When a family's cattle, goats or donkeys are lost, the impact goes beyond the animals themselves,” he said.
According to the association, the loss of livestock could affect household food security, children’s education, access to healthcare and families’ ability to recover economically.
The professionals therefore called on the government to establish a clear and transparent process for assessing the reported losses and determining whether compensation is due.
They said the process should be independent, verifiable and accessible to every affected household.
The association also called for comprehensive documentation of the reported livestock deaths, including details of the owners and locations where the animals were allegedly killed.
Leakono said proper documentation would be important in determining the extent of the losses and ensuring that claims could be independently verified.
The association said its demand for compensation was not intended to interfere with or prejudge the ongoing security operations.
“We are not here to prejudge the ongoing security operations. We are asking for accountability, documentation and, most importantly, justice for families who may have lost their livelihoods,” Leakono said.
The concerns come amid reports of livestock being killed in parts of Samburu East during ongoing security operations, with residents and local leaders calling for investigations into the circumstances surrounding the reported losses.
The association said affected families should be given an opportunity to present evidence of their losses and that any assessment should take into account the economic importance of livestock to pastoralist households.
It further urged authorities to ensure that the documentation exercise covers all affected areas and households, particularly those in remote locations that may not yet have been reached by the teams collecting information.
The association said establishing an accurate record of the reported losses would be an important first step towards determining responsibility and addressing the concerns of affected families.
For now, the 717 animals reported by the association remain a preliminary figure pending completion of the ongoing documentation exercise.
