Ilchamus seek audience with LSK over mathenge plant

The Ilchamus community is seeking the audience of the Law Society of Kenya and the government to speed up compensation for the loss caused by the exotic plant, Mathenge.

The council of elders from the Ilchamus community was accompanied by a goat that would also travel tucked at the back of the matatu sitter which would portray the weight of their grievances.

The goat is not able to graze because it is missing its upper teeth, and the lower ones are unusable.

This, the claim, is caused by a plant known as Mathenge that was introduced several years ago to curb desertification and provide fuel in the arid and semi-arid lands, but has instead caused harm to the community.

The Ilchamus won the court case in 2007, with the court ordering the state to compensate the community, but close to ten years later, nothing has changed.

They chanted a prayer before seeing the LSK officials.

The elders claim their Lawyer, Thomas Letangule, is to blame, saying he has done nothing since then, and asked the LSK to replace him.

Letangule, when contacted, dismissed the claims saying the court orders to compel the government to act were received two weeks ago, alleging that the claims have been politicised.

LSK advised the community to gather signatures complainants from the community before they can be advised on the way forward.

The elders said they hope that the government will take steps to manage the plant in Baringo County.