• More NPRs will be hired and armed to work with other security teams.
• MPs called for disarmament. They said bandits have called for heavy arms that the government has not been able to seize for years.
Image: MATHEWS NDANYI
Kerio Valley leaders have angrily called for ruthless action against continuing banditry as Interior CS Kithure Kindiki announced further security measures.
The region and 14 counties are affected by cattle rustling and related insecurity.
“We can’t expect a chief to help deal with such serious insecurity issues yet they are empty-handed,” Kindiki said.
He spoke on Tuesday during a tour of Kerio Valley where tension is high in Ketut area of Marakwet East subcounty following the recent killing of two girls by bandits who also stole livestock. It happened on New Year's Day.
The two, a Form 3 student at Kabulwo Secondary School and her younger sister who is a Class 7 pupil at Kabetwa Primary School, were shot dead by bandits as they herding family livestock.
KIndiki condoled with the family and said the government would not allow banditry to continue.
He was with Roads CS Kipchumba Murkomen and Governor Wesley Rotich, Marakwet East MP Bowen Kangogo and Senator Aaron Cheruiyot
“It’s unacceptable that so-called bandits kill innocent young children. Let the blood of the two girls be the last as we move to ensure our people live in peace,” Kindiki said.
The CS said the insecurity menace in the region and other counties had undermined development programmes.
Kangogo asked the CS not to be like his predecessors who had visited the region to give empty ultimatums and promises which did not end the killings.
“We have cried enough. We hope you, our new CS, are not here, to give those ultimatums and promises which do not help. We want action to ensure the bloodshed comes to an end,” Kangogo.
There is no need for us to take our military to other countries yet our people here in Kerio Valley are being killed like ratsSenator Aaron Cheruiyot
The MPs also called for disarmament in the region. They said the bandits in West Pokot had heavy arms that the government had not been able to seize for many years.
Cheruiyot said the government should act without mercy. “We now are in government and should act and not allow the children of Kerio Valley to continue suffering at the hands of bandits.”
He said those who live by the sword must die by the sword, saying the bandits had turned arrogant and always dared the government.
“There is no need for us to take our military to other countries yet our people here in Kerio Valley are being killed like rats,” Cheruiyot said.
The father of the dead girls, Daniel Bowen, said his family has been devastated.
“It was heart-wrenching to see my daughters’ bodies lying in pools of blood with several gunshot wounds. The bandits drove away my 70 cows. It is a double tragedy to lose children and livestock,” he said.
Governor Rotich said the region had buried so many victims of banditry. “We have cried so much and done everything possible in desperation and all we need is peace,”he said.
He said the county was ready to help pay NPRs to help back up security teams.
Murkomen said a lot had to be done to end banditry in the region but they had confidence in the CS to help deal with the problem.
Governor Rotich called for establishment of a military camp along the border between Kerio counties plagued by banditry.
(Edited by V.Graham)