Author of best-selling book I dreamed of Africa and active conservationist Kuki Gallmann is a prominent figure in the Kenya conservation industry. She owns the Laikipia Nature Conservancy, home to rare wildlife, and runs several community and education projects.
She was shot and wounded this weekend as she was driving through her property. She is now in a stable but still critical condition.
Cattle-herders are believed to be behind the attack. The drought in Northern Kenya and continued violence throughout the country in the run-up to the elections are driving resentment against private land owners.
Cattle-herders say they need more land for their animals to graze and have been attacking farmers and land-owners to push them out. Local politicians are even calling herders to invade private lands and sustain pressure on land-owners in a bid to increase their popularity in the up-coming elections.
