A retired Senior Principal from Samburu County, Mr Marios Letelewa, has hit the ground running after retirement with a message of peace for his home county.
His message, directed mainly at the youth, is simple: embrace change, embrace education, moranism is passé.
Mr Letelewa, who retired in 2025 from Doldol Boys High School in Laikipia County, uses his own life as an example. Born at a time when young men were expected to become morans and engage in cattle rustling, he chose a different path, education.
“I was born in 1965 in Baragoi, Samburu County,” he says. “That was a time when moranism was the norm. One grew up experiencing it almost daily.”
So why did he reject what society expected of him?
“It was a hard decision to make, especially at that tender age,” he recalls. “Society expected me to join the ranks of morans and bring home stolen animals. Peer pressure was intense. I thank my parents and a few like-minded individuals who saw a future not in moranism, but in education. They took us to school.”
He recalls that schools in Samburu were scarce at the time, mostly started and run by the Catholic Church. Facilities were modest, staffing was inadequate, and even the few available schools were sparsely populated.
“Most young people were deliberately prepared for cattle raids. It was the accepted way of life,” he says.
Growing up, he was fully aware of cattle rustling activities. It was never questioned, it was the norm, even a source of pride. Successful raids were celebrated as great achievements, while defending against attacks was equally glorified.
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But the cost was high.
“Of course there were casualties,” Mr Letelewa recalls. “When someone was killed during a raid, it was just part of the game; an occupational hazard, you might call it. Such a victim was not even brought back by their comrades. Only their weapons were brought back, and placed on the mother’s house. Earlier, it would be the spear; but these days, it is of course a gun.
The weapon is message enough: ‘Your son is dead’. That, too, is normal. It is an honour for a son to die in the course of tribal duty. The only good way to mourn, is to plan and execute revenge. The cycle starts, yet again. It is a vicious cycle,” the teacher says, his voice filled with regret.
“That needs to change,” he asserts. “Moranism, in its present mode, must no longer be a feature of our people. We must move ahead with the rest of the world. We must be at peace with our neighbours. An example is the Merus. We are in close association. In fact, our parents were telling us that if a Samburu boy doesn’t marry a fellow Samburu, they should get a Meru,” he jokes.
An Arts teacher, he recalls Chinua Achebe’s reference to an in-law as a chi; a personal god. “One does not attack, or steal from, a personal god!” he asserts. “Some of these things may seem small, but they matter.”
He is happy that the education infrastructure has improved greatly in Samburu. Schools are also far better equipped.
“We are urging young people, especially prospective morans, to grab this opportunity, and learn. Personally, I had to go as far as St. Peter’s Mumias for my A-Levels. Samburu children can now access education even as day scholars. They have absolutely no excuse for staying away from school.”
For a man of such a vision, what initiative has he taken to make more youngsters follow in his academic footsteps?
“I have tried to put my experience as a teacher to practice. I attend many social meetings, with a simple message: go to school. Therein lies hope for the future. People are going to the moon, and past it; while some are thinking about going to steal cattle! I point such anomalies to them. I visit schools and give free motivational talks. I spread the message of the great fellow Maa writer, Henry Ole Kulet, about vanishing herds, and about being a Moran no more. For really, what herds are there to steal? And are circumstances the same as they were when our fore-sires were doing it? Can raids be staged as successfully now as they were during the time of our grandparents?
“I also point out the immorality of the whole thing. The cruelty. The inhumanity of it all. Kenyans shooting at other Kenyans, just so they can forcefully steal their animals! It reeks of senselessness. This must needs to stop. To be part of the nation, Samburu people must adhere to the same constitution as the rest of Kenyans. Moranism must cease to be associated with cattle rustling.”
It is expected that such a spirit should attract notice from the community, and powers that be. Mr Letelewa has not been disappointed by his home county. He serves on the County Public Service board; appointed by the present governor.
Seeing that his vision would be enhanced by entering politics, he also intends to pursue that path come 2027; on an ODM ticket. One cannot help but wish him Luck.
By Opondo Okoth
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