Turkana Governor Josephat Nanok and his West Pokot counterpart Simon Kachapin have skipped peace celebrations.
The two did not send representatives to the meeting to mark two years since peace was restored among the Turkana and Pokot communities. IG Joseph Boinnet attended, celebrating his Christmas at Tukwel Gorge.
Boinnet asked residents to remain peaceful as the government is committed to ensure the region gets quality services.
REFORMED WARRIORS TO BE HIRED
He said the government will hire some of the reformed warriors to be national police reservists.
“The government will soon start NPRs recruitments and priority will be given to the warriors,” Boinnet said.
He said next year the government will give more than 60 motorbikes to peace committees to enable them to move around preaching peace.
Leaders present at the celebrations were West Pokot Senator John Lonyangapuo, his Turkana counterpart John Munyes, MPs Mark Lomunokol (Kacheliba), Samuel Moroto (Kapenguria), Philip Rotino (Sigor), James Lomenen (Turkana South), Protus Akucha (Loima) and Turkana county woman representative Jocye Emanikor.
VOTE THEM OUT
They asked residents to vote out leaders who do not take peace drives seriously.
“We vowed to put aside our political differences and focus on peace. Those who don’t want to move together in this peace-finding process should be voted out,” Lonyangapuo said.
He urged elected leaders from the region to put aside the issue of political parties and focus on the peace process.
Munyes said he has been a leader for more than 20 years and during that time they never managed to unite the two communities.
“For the past two years we never greeted each other. Since peace has been restored we need to work together,” he said.
BARINGO PEACE TALKS
Lomenen asked Lonyangapuo to spearhead peace talks in Baringo county, where cases of cattle rustling are still rampant.
“I’m asking you to use your wisdom to ensure cases of conflict in Baringo county are resolved. We want to move together in terms of development as a pastoral community,” he said.
Emanikor said as leaders from the region they have agreed to share the few available resources.
“Those who want to use boundary issues, oil, land disputes and pastures and water to disrupt peace will be stopped,” she said.
Akucha asked leaders and residents to hold frequent meetings to maintain peace since they have lost many people and animals in the past through the clashes.
He said the next census of the two communities will indicate an increase in the number of residents, which has been occassioned by the peace drives.
During the celebrations, various church leaders led the residents in prayers. Residents then shared roasted meat as a symbol of unity.