Wycliff Kipsang @wsang08

Culprits behind attacks in banditry-prone counties in the North Rift face stiffer penalties. 

Political, religious and opinion leaders drawn from Baringo, Elgeyo-Marakwet and West Pokot counties have resolved that families of the deceased be compensated by the offending community.

Their resolution is in line with the Chesegon Peace Accord signed in 2019, which also resolved that culprits behind the attacks be arrested. 

“We cannot allow few rogue elements to reverse the gains made in our quest for sustainable peace along our borders,” said West Pokot Governor John Lonyangapuo. 

Other leaders who attended the meeting include governors Stanley Kiptis (Baringo) and his Elgeyo-Marakwet counterpart Alex Tolgos. 

They sounded the warning after holding  a peace meeting with Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i at Tot area in the troubled Kerio Valley region on Tuesday.  

Peace caravans

The leaders resolved to embark on peace caravans across the region in a bid to urge warring communities to co-exist peacefully and discard retrogressive cultural practices like cattle-rustling. 

“We call on security agencies to expedite the apprehension of the killers, who have been identified and are hiding,” said Governor Tolgos.  

They called on the warring Marakwet and Pokot communities to maintain peace even as they called on the authorities address the matter.  

“The motive of the attackers is to create a rift between the two communities and heighten tension and emotions,” said Kiptis. 

In their Memorandum to the CS, the leaders called on the government to reverse its decision to disarm Kenya Police Reservists (KPRs), which they said has exposed their people to armed bandits from neighboring communities. 

Matiang’i said the government took the decision after it emerged that some KPRs were misusing their firearms by colluding with criminals. 

Leaders regretted that the region is rich in natural resources but has continued to lag behind in terms of development due to rampant cases of insecurity  that was scaring away investors.

Kerio Valley has not known peace for the last three weeks with at least 12 people being killed at the troubled Pokot-Baringo-Marakwet border in the past two weeks alone. 

The latest incident occurred on Saturday where five people were killed, one seriously injured and unknown number of livestock stolen in what is seen as retaliatory attacks between two warring communities. 

First  attack was at Kaben in Marakwet East constituency on Saturday after bandits suspected to be from Tiaty struck Kerio Valley and launched a retaliatory attack before making away with unknown number of livestock. 

Bandits are said to have been on a revenge mission after people from Elgeyo Marakwet on Friday raided Kolowa in Baringo and killed two people from Pokot and one from the Marakwet side. 

During his tour, the CS also issued a one-week ultimatum to all herders in possession of illegal firearms in the troubled Kerio Valley to surrender them. 

The CS ordered local administrators to work with police and identity all criminal elements wreaking havoc in the region.  

“We will no longer condone any form of lawlessness.  Just surrender or we come for you, as we have the capacity to come for you,” said Matiang’i, who was accompanied by Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai and top Rift Valley regional security team.  

He said security teams in the troubled region will be redeployed and rearranged and a special formation established to deal with runaway banditry, which led to the killing of  the 12 people. 

Security meeting resolved that a special Deputy County Commissioner be deployed to the area. 

 Yhe CS said the DCC’s role will be to coordinate all security matters in Kerio Valley in coordination with county commissioners from the three counties.