Elected leaders from Baringo have been urged to unite and preach peace as efforts towards ending insecurity caused by persistent bandit attacks.
County commissioner Henry Wafula on Saturday said bandits have continued to destabilize peace in parts of Tiaty, Baringo North and Baringo South subcounties and that it was time to stop them.
“Since I assumed office in January 2018, at least 18 people have been killed, 2,025 animals stolen by the useless armed bandits,” Wafula said.
The administrator said police had recovered 541 cows, 875 goats and 40 sheep.
He spoke during Madaraka Day celebrations at Kabarnet Museum Grounds.
Wafula said "foolish bandits" from a neighbouring community had stolen and slaughtered three camels. “This is the plain truth before the biblical God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,” Wafula said.
“We speak the same language with my boss, Interior CS Fred Matiang'i, and we always honour the orders from President,” he said.
Wafula called for cooperation from elected leaders from the volatile areas to find a conclusive solution to the "retrogressive cultures of banditry and cattle rustling."
“We are still struggling with useless attacks here in Baringo for close to a century while people in other counties are discussing development issues like education, digitisation and mining, surely,” Wafula said.
He supported the withdrawal of guns from national police reservists.
“The move is excellent because henceforth security officers shall be able to know they are pursuing the real bandits but not innocent people,” Wafula said.
County police commander Robinson Ndiwa, Governor Stanley Kiptis, his deputy Jacob Chepkwony, Baringo South MP Charles Kamuren and his Baringo Central counterpart Joshua Kandie were present.
Kamuren sadly noted that 271 people have so far been killed, numerous others maimed and uncountable number of livestock lost to banditry attacks in his constituency since 1980s.
“It is time the government gets serious and save the lives of innocent, harmless people and their property,” Kamuren said.
Kiptis said most parts of the county were peaceful and that the attacks were being propagated by bandits from a small area.
The leaders said they will put up vocational training institutes in the volatile areas so youths can abandon banditry and learn useful skills.
The leaders also pledged to convene an impromptu prayer session to condemn the rampant killings, alcoholism and suicide.
Wafula directed chiefs to break and pour out all illicit brews. “I don’t want to deal with such nonsense. Let me deal with insecurity,” he said.
