• It’s estimated that the region has more than 50,000 illegal guns in the hands of civilians.
• Security teams are now working on a strategy to cut off the supply of the arms that have been used to kill and main many people.
Image: BY MATHEWS NDANYI
The infiltration of small arms into parts of the North Rift has been identified as one of the major challenges fuelling banditry.
It’s estimated that the region has more than 50,000 illegal guns in the hands of civilians.
Security teams are now working on a strategy to cut off the supply of the arms that have been used to kill and main many people.
In the last one year, the government has seized only 150 illegal guns as voluntary and forced disarmament has not yielded much to rid the affected counties of weapons.
Rift Valley regional commissioner Maalim Mohammed said those with illegal guns must surrender them.
“As directed by the President, banditry has to end and we are asking all those with illegal arms to surrender them to the government as soon as possible,” he said.
So far, security teams have profiled more than 350 people believed to be kingpins in banditry activities.
They include those involved in the supply of illegal arms from across the borders of Uganda, South Sudan and Ethiopia.
Civil society activists, led by Samwel Cheboi, said the problem of insecurity will be dealt with once the challenge of small arms is resolved.
“The government must focus on small arms so that police are fully empowered to deal with security matters instead of having guns all over,” Cheboi said.
The eight governors in the North Rift region have also committed to helping the government end banditry in the Kerio Valley.
The North Rift bloc brings together Uasin Gishu, Samburu, Baringo, Turkana, Nandi, West Pokot, Trans Nzoia and Elgeyo Marakwet counties.
The governors said they would work through the North Rift Economic Bloc (Noreb) to come up with long-term solutions to the challenge of insecurity, which has hampered development.
Nandi Governor Stephen Sang, the Noreb chairman, said they would also involve communities in restoring lasting peace in the Kerio Valley region.
“We have agreed as the leadership in the region that we will do everything within our ability to help in restoring peace and security in Kerio Valley and the entire Rift Valley region," he said.
Noreb was on the verge of collapse but the recently elected county chiefs have revived its operations and promised to ensure it is vibrant.
Sang was two weeks ago elected chairman of the bloc, taking over from former Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago.
The new governors for the eight Noreb counties held their inaugural summit in Eldoret, where they endorsed Sang to head the region.
Other governors present included Uasin Gishu's Jonathan Bii, George Natembeya of Trans Nzoia, Wisley Rotich of Elgeyo Marakwet, Joseph Lomorukai of Turkana and deputy governors of Baringo, West Pokot and Samburu.
"We met for the first time and agreed on the way forward to make Noreb as vibrant as possible," Sang said.
He said they will work with county assemblies to strengthen the Noreb legal framework so it operates effectively.
The county chiefs have also committed to helping increase food production as one of the long-term measures to deal with recurrent drought and food crises in parts of the country, including counties in the region.
“In this region we have the challenges of insecurity and banditry and we plan to ensure that we work with all stakeholders as we move forward,” Sang said.