At the turn of the 20th century, Laikipia in Kenya saw an influx of British settlers who were allowed to claim ownership of uninhabited and uncultivated territory. Much of the local population were stripped of their own land and forced to work as hired hands; many were killed. While more than 60 years have passed since the end of British rule, the stark racial inequality in Kenya remains. Shot during a period of severe drought, which heightens the tension between indigenous pastoralists and commercial ranchers, Peter Murimi and Daphne Matziaraki’s illuminating documentary illustrates the symbiotic relationship between land rights and climate justice.
As the lack of rainfall wreaks havoc on plant life, the film focuses on the Samburu people – a nomadic tribe – and their struggle to find grazing pasture for their cattle. Although historically both camps have supported each other in times of trouble, the presence of the pastoralists on private ranches is now met with verbal abuse and even gunshots. In retaliation, some of the indigenous locals have taken up arms, and the region descends into further chaos.
Observing the arguments from both sides, the film’s brilliant editing exposes the ranchers’ blinkered view of their position within the community. At one point, Tom, who oversees a 56,000-acre estate, waxes poetic about his mission to preserve biodiversity; it’s clear that Tom’s vision of Kenya, tinged with a colonial-era romanticisation of safari life, can only exist through the exclusion of the marginalised. At once patient and rigorous, this is a film that superbly demonstrates how the conflicts of the present cannot be extricated from the baggage of the past.
• The Battle for Laikipia is in UK cinemas from 4 October
• This article was amended on 2 October 2024. An earlier version referred to Tom as the owner of a large Kenyan estate; in fact, he is the CEO of the conservancy group that owns it.
