Murkomen chairs ministerial meeting and lists 4 priority areas to completely eradicate banditry
By Lutta Njomo, January 22, 2025
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, chaired an inter-ministerial meeting with leaders from five counties of the Kerio Valley belt.
In a statement, Murkomen noted that he convened the meeting following President William Ruto’s directive on full restoration of socioeconomic development following the return of peace to the region.
In attendance was Beatrice Askul, the Cabinet Secretary for East African Community, Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL).
Others included PS Belio Kipsang (Education), Kello Harsama (Arid and Semi-Arid Arid Lands and Regional Development), Harry Kimtai (Medical Services) and Julius Korir (Water) among other local leaders.
Ending banditry
As part of accelerating development in Kerio Valley and eradicating banditry, the government officials agreed to prioritise on four key areas.
Murkomen explained that the leaders noted that the government needed to take urgent action to ensure roads, schools, health centres and water projects are completed on the borders of Samburu, Turkana, Baringo, West Pokot and Elgeyo Marakwet counties.
The leaders argued that the projects would help spur development and foster integration.
“The Government is fully committed to consolidating the gains made in restoring peace and delivering development to conflict-prone regions in order to bring the areas at par with the rest of the country.
“Today, I chaired an inter-ministerial meeting with leaders from five counties of the Kerio Valley belt to work on the modalities of fast-tracking the implementation of the Presidential directive on various aspects of socioeconomic development following the return of peace to the region,” Murkomen’s statement read in part.
“The meeting agreed on the security roads, schools, health centres and water projects to be prioritised on the borders of Samburu, Turkana, Baringo, West Pokot and Elgeyo Marakwet counties while considering inter-community boundaries, where applicable, to help bring about cohesion and integration,” it added.
On education, government officials and local leaders resolved that all primary schools in the arid areas of the region would be enrolled in the school feeding programme while secondary schools would benefit from food-for-fees bursaries.
Presidential promise
Speaking on January 5, 2025, President William Ruto said in addition to dealing with banditry in the Kerio Valley, the government would ensure that health facilities, schools and other social amenities are restored in the region.
He said the government will reopen schools that were closed during the period the region experienced severe insecurity and banditry.
“In the next three months, all the schools must be reopened and all children must be back to school,” he said.
He vowed to prioritise full peace restoration in the region which was characterised by banditry attacks.
The meeting also attended by my colleague, Hon Beatrice Askul, the Cabinet Secretary for East African Community, Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL), resolved that all primary schools in the arid areas of the region will be enrolled in the school feeding programme while secondary schools will… pic.twitter.com/vn1iQYT80p
— KIPCHUMBA MURKOMEN, E.G.H (@kipmurkomen) January 22, 2025