Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Monday 24 april 2017

Author and conservationist Kuki Gallmann shot in Kenya

TOM ODULA times. Lodges belong-
Associated Press ing to Gallmann were
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — burned by the herders
The Italian-born author last month.
and conservationist Kuki This East African nation
Gallmann was shot at is facing a drought that
her Kenyan ranch and has affected half the
airlifted for treatment country and has been
after herders invaded declared a national di-
in search of pasture to saster.
save their animals from Herders, whose liveli-
drought, officials said hoods depend on their
Sunday. cattle, and large-scale
Gallmann, known for farmers in parts of Ke-
her bestselling book “I nya’s Rift Valley have
Dreamed of Africa,” been desperately wait-
which became a movie ing for seasonal rains that
by the same name star- were to start last month
ring Kim Basinger, was to ease the drought and
patrolling the ranch in conflicts over grazing
Laikipia when she was land in which more than
shot in the stomach, lo- 30 people have died.
cal police chief Ezekiel Kenya’s military and
Chepkowny said. police have been work-
The 73-year-old Gall- ing to disarm and drive
mann had been with the hundreds of herders In this image from a video footage taken on May 3, 2000 in New York, the Italian-born author and
rangers from the Kenya and their animals out of conservationist Kuki Gallmann speaks during an interview.
Wildlife Service, assess- ranches they’ve invad- Associated Press
ing damage done to ed, but their actions ap-
her property Saturday pear to have escalated ans said. as wildlife conservan- Evans said.
by arsonists who burned the violence. When the The land invasions start- cies, were acquired dur- “Though times are very
down buildings at one of military and police drive ed late last year. British ing the period of British tough for those proper-
Laikipia Nature Conser- herders from one ranch national and ranch own- colonial rule, some as ties affected by the in-
vancy’s tourism lodges, they move into another, er Tristan Voorspuy was early as 1900, according vasions, the extent of
said Laikipia Farmers As- the farmers’ association killed last month when to a government report. the troubles are restrict-
sociation chairman Mar- said. he went to inspect dam- Others were purchased ed to parts of north and
tin Evans. The association has ac- age done by the herd- after Kenya became in- west Laikipia,” he said.
After the attack, the cused politicians cam- ers on one of his lodges. dependent in 1963. “These events do not
rangers transported her paigning for the August Opposition leader and Many of the farmers’ as- affect other parts of Ke-
to a location where elections of inciting the former Prime Minister sociation’s members are nya which remain safe
she could be airlifted herders to invade the Raila Odinga said ranch in the tourism business, to visit.”q
to Nanyuki town, Evans ranches, saying the own- owners deserve protec-
said. British Army medics ers’ leases have come to tion under the law like all
attended to her before an end and that herders Kenyans.
she was airlifted to the can take over the land “Unfortunately, we
capital, Nairobi, he said. and distribute it among have watched in bewil-
On Sunday night, Evans themselves. derment as hooligans
said Gallmann was in “The LFA is conscious take advantage of the
stable condition after that a small handful of drought to subject these
surgery but had serious inciters are driving this ranchers to unwarranted
injuries. He cited a family violence and that they attacks,” Odinga said.
member. have deployed mili- “Even more depressing
Richard Constant, the tias to cause mayhem is the apparent helpless-
association’s deputy in parts of Laikipia. For ness of the government
chairman, said suspi- months these criminals that is clearly unable or
cion falls on herders from have been rampaging unwilling to bring these
the Pokot community around with their illegal attacks to a stop.”
who have invaded Gall- weapons, destroying Many of the ranches,
mann’s ranch several lives and livelihood,” Ev- some of which double