Tiaty MP Kamket arrested over Baringo, Laikipia skirmishes

Tiaty MP William Kamket has been arrested by the detectives from DCI and is being taken to Nakuru for interrogation.

The police said that the MP was arrested following unending conflict witnessed in Laikipia and Baringo counties.

His arrest was confirmed by Baringo County Police Commander Robinson Ndiwa

“Today, we have arrested Tiaty MP where the herders come from. Those herders are the people who have been employed to look after the animals for prominent people, the MP being included," Ndiwa said.

Ndiwa added that the operation is still going on and that they are facing a lot of resistance from the armed herders who have been incited to violence and not to leave Laikipia.

“So we arrested the MP to come and answer the charges of incitement and clashes in regard to what has been going on in Laikipia and Baringo.”

Banditry attacks in Laikipia have led to the death of eight people in the last month, according to Rift Valley Regional Commissioner George Natembeya.

Of the eight, three are police officers enforcing security in the region, while five are civilians.

Natembeya said on Wednesday that the deaths happened before the security operation began on Tuesday.

The National Security Council met Monday and declared Laikipia a disturbed and a security operation area.

The council meeting came two days after an earlier one by the National Security Advisory Committee.

Both meetings were aimed at arriving at a solution to armed herders who have invaded private ranches and are on a killing spree.

The gang at the weekend torched more than 40 houses in the area.

They had last Friday killed two people in an attack, increasing to more than 10 people, those who have died in the past three months in conflict-related to grazing fields.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i said an operation will be conducted at the Laikipia Nature Conservancy.

A dusk to dawn curfew was declared in the area.

Those with animals grazing in the ranches were given 48 hours to remove them.

Officials said politicians, a judge, senior military, and police officers are among those who have illegally moved livestock into Laikipia conservancy.