Elgeyo Marakwet governor Alex Tolgos and his West Pokot counterpart John Lonyangapuo have asked President Uhuru Kenyatta to intervene in the Kerio Valley to end banditry.
Tolgos and Lonyangapuo want fresh security deployment strategies that will effectively end cattle rustling.
The two want the president to localise deployment of security managers in four counties in Rift Valley, which have been battling perennial insecurity.
“This will enable us to have people from local communities handling security matters because they understand the areas better,” Lonyangapuo said.
The governors said county commissioners, their assistants, county police commanders and Officers Commanding Police Divisions should be locals in the respective counties.
“We believe if peace and stability is to be achieved in West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo, Turkana and Samburu counties, then we need locals playing a lead role in security,” Tolgos said.
Lonyangapuo said the government has for so many years fought insecurity in the Kerio Valley without success hence the need for new strategies.
“In West Pokot, we need a county commissioner from the local community, same as in Elgeyo Marakwet and the other affected counties,” Lonyangapuo said.
He said the move would improve efficiency among the officers in the region.
