I completely agree with the Star editorial of Tuesday January 10 on the subject of the national government’s slow response in the face of marauding bandits in the name of herders, fleeing the drought in Northeastern.
These bandits have made the lives of farming communities in the Kitui and Laikipia counties literally a hell on earth.
As cattle and camel herders drive massive herds of animals in Kitui, the bandits invade the smallholdings and attack the poor farmers, who are usually armed only with bows and arrows. As the Star noted, the situation has become so dire that thousands of settled families have been uprooted and now live out in the bush, without food or water.
There have been several terrifying fatalities and many injuries as the bandits are armed with AK-47s and other high-caliber weapons. Matters are so out of hand that Kitui’s womenfolk have armed themselves with bows and arrows!
Contrary to commonly peddled rumors that place the county governments at the center of security issues, Internal security is not a devolved function; it remains the responsibility of the National Government headquartered in Nairobi.
It is astonishing nonetheless to note that the Senator from Kitui David Musila, a former provincial commissioner and assistant minister for Defence, has said precious little, if anything, as the most fundamental rights of the people of Kitui are trampled on by cynical killers.
The rights to life, well-being and private property of the people of Kitui are being disregarded and degraded on a daily basis. But Senator Musila is too busy positioning himself for governor. In other words, he is hoarding his immense experience and expertise in the national government at precisely the same time when the people need real, responsible and life-saving proactive leadership.
As a keen student of international affairs, I remember clearly the well-documented 1970 order from US President Richard Nixon to “make the economy scream” in Chile so as to “prevent [Salvador] Allende from coming to power or to unseat him”.
Who is trying to make Kitui scream during the election year, and what are the dimensions of the nefarious conspiracy at work here? Kitui county, which occupies the former Eastern province, covers 30,500 km2 to the nearest round figure. Located 160km east of Nairobi, Kitui has an iron-mongering heritage — the name itself means the place of iron goods manufacture.
The Kamba, Kenya’s fifth largest community, is the dorminant community in Kitui, an area also inhabited by the Kikuyu, the Ameru, the Aembu and the Somali.
Musila is not alone in failing to come to the rescue of the people in Kitui in their hour of need. We should be hearing the other immensely experienced and proficient leaders condemn the violent invasions in the county.
The county administration is ultra-sensitive regarding any encroachment in Kitui county. As long ago as late July 2013, barely four months in office as Kitui governor, Julius Malombe ordered three primary schools that had been built illegally in the county using CDF by leaders from the neighbouring Tana River closed.
Saying there was no justification for establishing public facilities in Kitui despite the leaders being aware of the boundary, he described the encroachment as unacceptable. He said, “We will not negotiate on such blatant provocation and violation of county borders. All leaders should restrict their development programmes within their jurisdictions”.
Surprisingly, Musila, Kitui South MP Rachael Nyamai and Mwingi Central MP Joe Mutambu swiftly and unreservedly concurred with Governor Malombe’s decision. Nyamai and Mutambu demanded that the manyattas adjacent to the schools be demolished because they were “hideouts for bandits”.
This collegiate spirit and unity of purpose in defense of the rights and interests of the people of Kitui has never been more needed than in the prevailing circumstances.