Narok: A religious leader in Narok County has called on the Kenya National Highway Authority (KeNHA) to erect signposts on designated animal crossing points along the Bomet-Narok-Maai Mahiu Road to avert increased incidents along the busy highway. The call comes in the wake of a tragic incident where three people were killed and seven injured after residents barricaded the road in the Duka Moja area, demanding compensation for their sheep that had been knocked by a speeding vehicle. The incident also resulted in a police officer’s left hand being chopped off, necessitating his airlift to Kenyatta Hospital for specialized treatment.
According to Kenya News Agency, Pentecostal Assemblies of God (PAG) Bishop John Ole Mpurkoi emphasized the absence of clear points designated for animal crossing, as earlier signages had been vandalized. He urged the Maa community to avoid taking the law into their hands and instead follow the correct procedures to prevent chaos and fatalities as witnessed recently. ‘There is a better way to resolve conflicts other than blocking a busy highway. We need to resolve our issues amicably and in a decent manner that will earn our community respect,’ he stated.
The bishop further advised livestock farmers to adopt modern farming practices, encouraging them to keep fewer, more productive livestock for better returns. He criticized the traditional method of owning hundreds of livestock, labeling it as outdated due to land demarcation. ‘Before, we lived on communal land, and our animals used to graze on a vast land; however, with modernization, the land has been subdivided, forcing us to keep only a few manageable animals,’ he explained.
In addition, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) Narok office, under the charge of Gitonga Muranga, urged the public not to take the law into their own hands but to resolve disputes in a manner that would not lead to losses. This incident follows previous road barricades by Duka Moja residents, who have protested the way motorists use the highway. A few months ago, they blocked the road in the Ntulele area after a lorry from Brookside Company knocked and killed two youths on a motorcycle.
