•Security teams and local leaders outlined challenges in the enforcement of security in the area.
•Locals said the first incident took place at Kaben after raiders launched a revenge attack.
Interior CS Fred Matiang’i on Tuesday visited Keio Valley in Elgeyo Marakwet following killings in the area.
The visit comes after five people were killed over the weekend and unknown number of livestock stolen.
The CS was accompanied by local elected leaders who promised to collaborate to restore peace.
The leaders who accompanied the CS are governors John Lonyangapuo of West Pokot, Alex Tolgos of Elgeyo Marakwet, Stanley Kiptis of Baringo and Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen.
The meeting was held at Tot AIC following increased insecurity incidents in the area. At least 12 people have been killed in the past two weeks.
During the meeting, security teams and local leaders outlined challenges in the enforcement of security in the area.
Locals said the first incident took place at Kaben after raiders suspected to be from Tiaty struck Kerio Valley and launched a revenge attack.
They are said to have been on a pay-back mission after people from Elgeyo Marakwet on Friday descended on Kolowa area of Baringo county where they killed the victims.
The other seven people were killed in different instances between Kerio Valley belt running across Tiaty, Marakwet East, and Marakwet West areas.
Security personnel deployed in the region are searching for the stolen livestock believed to have been driven towards Cheptulel in Pokot Central, West Pokot, and Ng’oron in Tiaty, Baringo county.
Among those killed in the conflict are two members of peace committees at the border of West Pokot and Elgeyo Marakwet counties.
The CS said that the leaders have shown genuine commitment to sustainable peace.
Matiang’i said that the government cannot allow the culprits to kill more innocent people, urging all the leaders from the North Rift to unite for the sake of peace.
“We don’t want to lose any more lives. And as a result, I have requested everyone here that since some of these criminals are known, I have given them seven days to surrender the names and share them with the police or else we will go for them,” Matiang’i said.
The CS added that they have agreed on a number of issues that will be addressed, including supporting the administrative infrastructure in the area.
“The Members of Parliament have been working with us through CDF in building infrastructure, police stations, chiefs’ offices and so more. We have agreed that we coordinate even more with the Members of Parliament to ensure for example the DO here gets a house as soon as possible, that we put up the Chesogon Police station which was swept by the waters so that we can have more numbers from that side.”
He also said that the security team and the leaders in the area will be reviewing the set objectives on regular basis.
They have also put on notice some of the prominent individuals who might be working with the criminals, saying that no stone will be left unturned.
“We are not going to play games with the instability and security of our people because that is second to nothing.”
The Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai was also present in Tuesday’s meeting.
Killings take place despite the ongoing intensive security operation in the neighbouring Tiaty sub-county to seize illegal guns and flush out armed criminals.
The move follows the killing of a GSU operation commander in Ameyan area while two other officers were seriously injured near the banditry-prone Kapedo.
In June this year, the Kenya Red Cross Society suspended operations and withdrew all its staff from Baringo county because of security concerns.