• The wreckage vechiels were now used to shelter chicken reared by the police officers in the camps
• People continue to lose lives and livestock to the brazen armed bandits as the government watch.
Image: JOSEPH KANGOGO
Armoured police vehicles remain grounded in Baringo even as insecurity escalates along the volatile Kerio Valley which lies at the border of Baringo, Turkana and Elegeyo-Marakwet counties.
Baringo North MP William Cheptumo on Saturday raised concern over the grounded vehicles, saying a police van has remained stalled at Chemoe in his constituency since September last year.
“This in itself is clear evidence that the government is not actually very serious on dealing with bandits attacks and cattle rustling in the North Rift region,” Cheptumo said.
The Anti-Stock Theft Unit is also ill-equipped after their only armoured vehicle which was used in the recovery of stolen livestock broke down.
“The engine has now become a shelter for Chicken reared by officers at Chemoi police camp,” resident Richard Chepchomei said.
Residents believe the breakdowns have emboldened bandits who they say now raid even in the full glare of police. Officers often have to drive over 150km to Marigat or Kabarnet towns to fill their tanks.
At times, the fuel crisis has forced officers to abandon patrols.
Sources said the fuel allocation for each police vehicles is only 450 litres per month. They said it was too little to sustain operations.
Cheptumo said it was time the government seriously dealt with banditry because mothers and children continue to suffer.
He said lack of proper facilitation to security officers for constant surveillance was a big hindrance. He appealed to Interior CS Fred Matiang'i to do better.
At least three people were injured and more than 300 cows and goats stolen in Yatya and Kapsdasum villages in the last week in banditry raids.
Baringo South MP Charles Kamuren asked the government to deploy more security officers to conduct constant patrols along the border.
“We always channel our grievances from the ground but we suspect they are being sabotaged by the county security apparatus,” Kamuren said.
Last week, the government withdrew guns in the hands of national police reservists.
“This is not a disarmament exercise. The government is instead trying to register and rebrand the guns,” Baringo county commissioner Henry Wafula said.
Cheptumo said the reservists had not been paid their allowances since September last year yet they played a critical role in dealing with cattle rustling.
"I, therefore, urge Matiang'i to immediately release their money and provide sufficient equipment to security officers," the MP said.
On Wednesday, county police commander Robinson Ndiwa led a patrol in a chopper that was ordered from Nairobi.
“We are only doing normal surveillance to map out and locate the hideouts of the bandits,” Ndiwa said.
On Tuesday, Baringo North deputy county commissioner Obwocha Bobwocha said they had identified the hideouts for bandits in Tiaty and were ready to storm and recover the stolen livestock.
edited by Peter Obuya