Banditry continues to devastate pastoralist communities in parts of Tigania, Igembe, and Buuri in Meru County, leaving a trail of loss and despair. Many families have lost both livestock and loved ones, pushing once stable households into deep poverty.
At Lubie Mula Location in Tigania East, we meet Selina Kimathi, a widow still struggling to come to terms with the death of her husband just days ago. Her husband, a National Police Reservist, was guarding more than 300 cattle when he was shot at close range by suspected bandits.
According to the family, he was hit by multiple rounds of ammunition and died on the spot.
Selina says the loss has left her with the heavy burden of raising their nine children alone. With their livestock stolen during the attack, she now has no source of income to feed her family or educate the children.
In visible pain, she points to another grave nearby. Just a few months ago, she lost her eldest son in a separate banditry incident. The family says they have yet to receive any compensation or support from the government.
A neighbour, Lucy Manyara, says several families in the village have suffered similar tragedies due to repeated bandit attacks. She notes that the community has grown poorer as livestock—their main source of livelihood—continues to be stolen.
Mrs Manyara also questions the response of security agencies. She claims that on the day Selina’s husband was killed, military vehicles were stationed just a few metres away but did not respond to calls for help or pursue the attackers. Instead, she alleges, police officers moved in the opposite direction, leaving residents feeling abandoned and unprotected.
These incidents have prompted clergy leaders in Tigania to organise peaceful demonstrations, demanding improved security in the region.
The clergy held prayers in several shopping centres along the Meru–Maua road, including Karama and Muthaara.
The religious leaders later marched to Muliri Shopping Centre, where they presented their concerns to the Tigania East County Commissioner, calling on the government and security agencies to take decisive action against banditry and restore peace in the region.
