Laikipia Governor Joshua Irungu has advised residents to diversify their agricultural activities, emphasizing that relying solely on maize cultivation will not alleviate poverty. He encouraged them to shift away from traditional cattle-keeping practices and instead focus on raising high-yield milk-producing cows for increased profitability. The Governor conveyed this message during a public meeting at Karaba trading center in Laikipia West constituency on Monday, attended by Senator John Kinyua and Marmanet MCA Simon Kanyutu.
During the meeting, residents’ spokesperson Peter Kamau shared their attempts to diversify into beans, soya, and avocados, only to face challenges with crop damage by elephants. The gathering aimed to address the ongoing wildlife-human conflict due to the proximity of the area to the 7,088-hectare Lariak Forest, home to numerous elephants and other wild animals.
Governor Irungu pledged to initiate the construction of an electric fence before the year’s end to mitigate the conflict. He urged residents to embrace alternative crops once the fence is in place and promised to provide seeds for soya and beans to interested individuals. Additionally, he committed to purchasing solar batteries to enhance the existing live wire fence’s voltage, which was installed by the community. The governor also agreed to employ local youths for the maintenance of the community fence and ongoing duties when the electric fence is completed.
Responding to concerns about security, John Mulachake advocated for the deployment of National Police Reservists (NPR) in the Karaba area, expressing worries about potential livestock theft as pastures improve with the arrival of rains. MCA Kanyutu questioned the oversight of Karaba in NPR deployment, citing neighboring locations with NPRs. He outlined several feeder roads he hoped the County government would upgrade once the rainy season subsided.
In the realm of national politics, both the Governor and the Senator advocated for giving President William Ruto time to address and rectify economic issues.
