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Paul Ndung’u

The government has deployed police officers in schools in the troubled Laikipia West constituency, even as residents took to the streets to protest over rising cases of insecurity.

While urging the parents to allow their children back to school, Laikipia West Deputy County Commissioner Hezron Nyamberi and his Nyahururu counterpart Moses Muroki said that parents who had withdrawn their children from schools should make sure that they are returned to school.

“Learning will continue because we have put measures to ensure we deal with the bandits hiding in Laikipia Nature Conservancy (LNC),” noted Nyamberi, while assuring both teachers and students of their safety.

Learning activities in five schools among them Wangwachi Primary school, Mirango primary School, Bondeni Primary school, Kabati Primary School and Kabati Mixed Secondary School all in Laikipia West constituency had been paralysed because of incessant banditry attacks and livestock thefts in the area.

“The government is firmly in control, the DCI team is on the ground and those that have been arrested will be arraigned in court Friday.

No one has fled this area for fear of banditry and the operation to flush out the bandits is ongoing,” said Nyamberi, while  addressing parents at Wangwachi Primary School, that boarders the LNC.

The deputy county commissioner said that the security officers will be conducting regular patrols at the schools and areas surrounding them to ensure that both the teachers and learners were safe.

Amaya Triangle Director Nyaguthii Wahome accused herders from the neighbouring counties of Baringo, Samburu and Isiolo of disrupting learning in the region.

“It is a pity that the agreements we made over the last three years are being flouted because of political reasons.

Respect the neighbourhood and let all graze where they have rented without killing our people,” lamented Nyaguthii, regretting the closure of schools for lack of security.

In the neighbouring Nyahururu sub county, thousands of people took to the streets in Kinamba Township on Monday to protest over the rising cases of insecurity in the region.

Angry parents had earlier in the morning stormed Arabel Primary School, Ndindika Primary and Secondary school and Mbogo-ini primary school, where they withdrew their children before heading to the streets where they engaged police in running battles.

Area MCA Peter Thomi and residents accused police of lobbing teargas and using live bullets to disperse angry residents who had gone to air their grievances at the Deputy County Commissioner offices.