Elders cite attempted Turkana landgrabs, Lomorukai stands firm

Turkana Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai has said the Council of Elders will spearhead peace programmes to encourage harmonious coexistence.

Lomorukai said the county will support engagement between Turkana elders and their counterparts from communities in the region in peace efforts.

He spoke on Saturday while addressing elders during a meeting with the Council of Elders at Ekaales Cultural Centre in Lodwar.

More than 70 elders from across Turkana attended the meeting.

“I assure elders of my commitment to protect the community’s land rights. I and stand firm to not lose even an inch of Turkana land to aggressors using violence to displace the community from their ancestral land,” he said.

Lomorukai said that he was encouraging leasing of land to investors, not selling.

He told the elders the county government would carry out meetings on land use to ensure structured development of Lodwar municipality, major towns and the rest of the county.

The county boss promised to collaborate with heads of security agencies to address the problem the increasing insecurity within Lodwar municipality.

He said the county was keen to solve the problem of street children in the town through rescue and rehabilitation. The aim is to return them to their homes and discourage living on the streets, he said.

Abraham Lokuwam, who is the vice chairman of the council, congratulated Lomorukai on his election.

Lokuwam expressed alarm about the increasing insecurity  along the border with West Pokot and Baringo counties, and within Lodwar municipality and its environs.

“There are expansionist threats from neighbouring communities using violence to annex Turkana land. We ask the Governor to be a champion of Turkana land rights and protect every inch of our 77,000 square kilometres," he said.

He urged for support to benchmark on council affairs and its relationship with the government, preferably the Meru council of Elders, the Njuri Ncheke.

He called the governor to establish an office to support council’s affairs for ease of coordination.

Lomorukai's meeting with elders comes after a bandit attack that left 11 people, including police officers dead last month at Namariat, near Kakiteitei Village, in Turkana East.

The area chief and two villagers were also shot dead.

The victims were ambushed as they pursued a gang of heavily armed bandits suspected to be from neighboring Baringo.

Lomorukai urged the government to arrest bandits escaping the security operation following the killings of security officers.

The National Police Service has since launched a multi-agency operation in the area.

NPS Spokesperson Bruno Shioso in a statement said the operation is aimed at apprehending culprits, recovering stolen animals and firearms, and restoring normalcy.

(Edited by V. Graham)