The Battle for Laikipia Review: How Climate Change Reshaping Kenya’s Future

Climate change has always been a global issue, but its impact is felt more deeply in regions already grappling with historical tensions and resource scarcity. One such place is Kenya’s Laikipia region, where drought and rising political unrest have triggered an intense struggle for survival. This struggle is powerfully captured in the documentary The Battle for Laikipia, directed by Daphne Matziaraki and Peter Murimi, which examines how the consequences of climate change are reigniting age-old conflicts between white landowners and indigenous pastoralists.

In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into the complex layers of this documentary, exploring how the climate crisis, colonial history, and modern-day power dynamics intersect to create a potent and emotionally charged narrative.

A Land Divided: Colonial Legacy and Climate Change

Laikipia, located on the equator in Kenya, is a region of fertile land that has become a flashpoint in the ongoing battle over resources. The people of Laikipia, mainly indigenous Samburu pastoralists and white ranchers, have coexisted for years, but drought has heightened competition for scarce resources, leading to a resurgence of historical conflicts.

The documentary exposes how the legacy of colonialism is still deeply entrenched in the land distribution of Laikipia. Much of the fertile land in the region is still owned by descendants of British settlers, who established their presence during Kenya’s colonial era. These white landowners, often viewed as the “guardians” of the land, see it as their inherited right. On the other hand, the Samburu people, who have grazed their cattle here for millennia, are now finding themselves fenced out of land they once roamed freely.

The Struggle for Resources: When Survival Becomes Political

At the heart of The Battle for Laikipia is the struggle for land and water two critical resources now becoming scarcer due to prolonged drought. As the drought stretches into its second year, both white ranchers and Samburu herders are feeling the pressure. The film highlights the contrasting lifestyles of the two groups. The ranchers, equipped with modern technology and substantial financial resources, attempt to protect their land with guns, fences, and threats. Meanwhile, the pastoralists rely on ancient knowledge of the land to try to eke out a living for their cattle, which are their lifeblood.

The documentary introduces us to two key figures from both sides of the conflict: Maria, a fourth-generation white rancher, and Simeon, a proud member of the Samburu tribe. Both are deeply connected to the land, but their experiences of it are vastly different. Maria, facing mounting financial stress, watches as her ranch’s resources dwindle, while Simeon expresses anxiety about his family’s cattle, which are slowly starving due to the lack of grazing land.

The Power Imbalance: Colonial Attitudes Meet Climate Realities

One of the most striking elements of The Battle for Laikipia is how it brings to light the stark power imbalance between the ranchers and the herders. The white landowners, while feeling the economic pinch of the drought, still hold a significant amount of power both through their wealth and their access to governmental support. The ranchers meet any attempt by the herders to access grazing land with intimidation, threats of violence, and in some cases, armed confrontation.

In one unsettling scene, a community meeting of ranchers discusses the “death of pastoralism” without involving a single member of the indigenous community. The exclusion of the Samburu people from conversations about the land they have lived on for centuries is a chilling reminder of how colonial attitudes continue to pervade modern interactions. This kind of disregard for indigenous voices illustrates the ongoing challenges that many African communities face when it comes to land rights.

The Role of Climate Change: Fueling a Human Crisis

Climate change is the driving force behind the escalating tensions in Laikipia. The documentary does an excellent job of portraying the devastating effects of prolonged drought on both the land and the people. The vibrant, green landscapes that once supported thriving herds of cattle are now barren, and animals are visibly struggling to survive.

While the ranchers may have the means to bring in external resources or relocate their animals, the Samburu people are tethered to the land in a much deeper way. For the Samburu, cattle are not just animals they are a symbol of wealth, status, and survival. As Simeon explains, the word for “life” in his language is derived from the word for “cattle.” When the cattle die, so does the way of life for the Samburu people.

The drought has made this existential crisis all the more urgent. As pastures dry up, the competition for grazing rights intensifies, pushing the Samburu into direct conflict with the ranchers. The lack of resources has also brought political tensions to the surface, with local politicians like Mathew Lempurkel advocating for the return of land to the Samburu people. On the other side, ranchers respond with increased shows of force, determined to protect what they see as their rightful property.

A Microcosm of a Global Issue

While The Battle for Laikipia focuses on a specific region of Kenya, its themes resonate far beyond East Africa. The documentary serves as a microcosm for the larger global challenges that many communities are beginning to face as climate change accelerates. As natural resources like water and arable land become scarcer, similar conflicts are likely to emerge in other parts of the world.

The film is a potent reminder that the climate crisis is not a distant, abstract problem it is a present reality for many communities, particularly those in vulnerable regions like Laikipia. And as resources become more limited, the tensions that arise from historical injustices, such as colonialism, will only become more pronounced.

The Role of Government: A Solution in Sight?

As the documentary unfolds, it becomes clear that government intervention is desperately needed to mediate the conflict in Laikipia. However, the filmmakers also suggest that the government is unlikely to take meaningful action, as its interests are often aligned with those of the powerful landowners. This political indifference exacerbates the situation, leaving both ranchers and herders without a viable solution to their problems.

The film ends on an ambiguous note, with the arrival of the long-awaited rains offering a temporary reprieve. But as both ranchers and herders know, the next drought could be just around the corner, and without proper governance and intervention, the cycle of conflict is bound to repeat itself.

Conclusion: A Story of Survival, Resistance, and Inequality

The Battle for Laikipia is a powerful and thought-provoking documentary that sheds light on the complexities of climate change, colonial legacies, and the fight for survival in one of Kenya’s most contested regions. It presents a stark reminder that while the climate crisis is often framed as a global issue, its effects are felt most acutely by those who are already marginalized and vulnerable.

As the film shows, there are no easy answers to the challenges facing Laikipia. The drought may subside for now, but the underlying tensions between landowners and herders will remain. In the end, the documentary leaves us with a question that echoes far beyond Laikipia: How do we create a future where everyone has equal access to the resources they need to survive? And more urgently, how do we do so before it’s too late?