Census sparks boundary clashes in Baringo

Communities in Baringo county have clashed and rhetoric has heated up over disputed boundaries ahead of the national population census on August 24. 

Claims and counter-claims have been flying like poisoned arrows; all leaders deny inciting violence and ill-will.

The contentious places are Loruk, Mukutani and Kampi ya Samaki along the borders of Baringo North, Tiaty and Baringo South subcounties.

“All the places are in Baringo South and nobody should ever raise any question about that,” MP Charles Kamuren said.

He was addressing a well-attended Ilchamus age-set transition cultural event at Eldepe near Marigat town on Saturday.

Major inhabitants in the pasture-rich areas are the Tugen, Pokot and Ilchamus pastoral communities.

The communities are plagued by banditry attacks and cattle rustling. 

Kamuren put on notice his Tiaty counterpart William Kamket and Baringo North’s William Cheptumo, saying they are inciting the residents to disrupt the census.

They denied the claims. 

On Friday, residents armed with poisoned arrows and pangas protested, lit fires and blocked the Loruk-Marigat Highway. They threatened to harm and chase away certain ‘foreign’ communities ahead of the census.

“We will not be counted if these communities are still living with us here,” a Loruk resident said.

Cheptumo had earlier claimed Loruk and Kampi ya Samaki are in the centre of his constituency, citing the present landmark location of the national government and the subcounty administrators’ offices.

“I have been allocating the NG-CDF to put up and improve the facilities here and I am organising a major fundraiser to put up new boarding secondary schools in Loruk and Kampi ya Samaki,” he said.

But Kamuren said, “Sometime back I was a headteacher at Loruk Primary School and I used to submit my returns to the Education offices in Marigat town in Baringo South.” 

He claimed the chief’s office in Kampi ya Samaki town is being run by the government administration in his constituency.

The MP was backed by professionals Boniface Lesaris and Michael Kebenei who told off Cheptumo and Bartabwa MCA Reuben Chepsongol for 'planning to hive off their land'.

Kamuren further warned Kamket against "planning to set his armed Pokot people to interrupt the census exercise at the disputed Mukutani".

The area is inhabited by more than 800 displaced bandit attack victims who were relocated last December after camping in temporary tents for two years at Eldume, near Marigat town.

Persistent tribal clashes owing to boundary disputes date back to 2005. Many people have lost their lives, many others have been others injured, schools closed, livestock stolen and thousands of people displaced.

“I am appealing to county commissioner Henry Wafula and his security team to restore peace especially during the census,” the Baringo South lawmaker said.

Speaking during his inauguration as Council of Elders and Pokot spokesman at Katungura in Tangulbei-Korossi ward, Kamket asked for peace throughout the census.

“As Pokots, we are peace-loving people and we expect the same from our neighbours,” Kamket said, calling on residents to turn up in large numbers for the exercise.

Governor Stanley Kiptis told the legislators to tone down their rhetoric over boundary disputes and allow the census to take place peacefully.

“We are appealing to our people from all corners of this country to travel back and get themselves counted because all we need are the numbers so we can have the power to negotiate for the national resources,” Kipits said.  

Government spokesman Cyrus Oguna backed the governor's remarks saying people should maintain their residential locations during the census.

“Leaders should stop pushing people to travel to their rural homes during the exercise because every Kenyan citizen shall be reached and counted wherever they are,” Oguna said.

He also denounced claims that the president declared August 26 as a national holiday.

Edited by R.Wamochie