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Tensions in Kitui County have reached a boiling point after Nguni Ward MCA and Minority Leader Hon. Jeremiah Mutua delivered a fierce and uncompromising message to Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale over the ongoing camel grazing dispute.
In a strongly worded statement, Mutua directly responded to Duale’s viral remarks in which he claimed ownership of camels across the country, telling the CS to keep his livestock away from Ukambani.
“You can own even one billion camels we have no problem with that. But graze them on your own land, not on our farms,” Mutua declared.
The outspoken MCA accused leaders of disregarding the rights and livelihoods of local communities, insisting that land in Ukambani belongs to its people and must be respected.
“This is our land. It feeds our families. It will not be turned into a grazing field for outsiders,” he said.
Mutua further issued a one-week ultimatum to government security agencies to remove all camels from Nguni Ward and the larger Kitui County, warning that patience among residents is quickly running out.
“We have given the government time to act. If they fail, we will be forced to defend our land and protect our livelihoods,” he warned.
The remarks come amid rising insecurity linked to camel herders, with at least eight lives reportedly lost within a single week a situation that has triggered outrage and fear across the region.
Mutua did not hold back in condemning what he described as government inaction, terming it “ignorance and mediocrity” even in the face of tragic loss of life.
“Even after losing eight lives in one week, nothing meaningful has been done. Enough is enough,” he said.
The growing standoff over camel grazing is now shaping into a major political and security crisis in Kitui, as leaders demand urgent intervention to restore order and protect communities.
With a firm deadline now in place, attention shifts to the national government and whether it will act swiftly or risk a deeper escalation in an already volatile situation.
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