• The counties of Elgeyo Marakwet, West Pokot, Baringo, Turkana and Samburu are estimated to have more than 30,000 illicit arms in the hands of civilians.
• Disarmament will be carried in mid-month after a two week amnesty for voluntary surrender ends.
Image: MATHEWS NDANYI
The government has deployed security officers in Kerio Valley to begin profiling illegal gun holders.
The move follows an order by new Rift Valley regional coordinator Maalim Mohammed, who gave residents a two-week amnesty to voluntarily surrender illegal guns.
Mohammed said a major disarmament would be carried when the two weeks expire in mid-month.
Elgeyo Marakwet, West Pokot, Baringo, Turkana and Samburu are estimated to have more than 30,000 illicit arms in the hands of civilians.
Mohammed said the amnesty ends in mid-month; after that, forceful action will be taken to rid the region of guns used in banditry and cattle rustling.
Interior CS Fred Matiangi met leaders and government officials from the North Rift in Nakuru last week when he directed an immediate security operation in parts of the region affected by banditry.
The security operation is already going on in parts of Baringo.
Newly posted Elgeyo Marakwet county commissioner John Korir has pledged to work with all leaders and communities in Kerio Valley to find a lasting solution to the banditry problem.
Korir said banditry problem cannot be solved by government officers or the police without support from the political leaders and communities along with peace actors.
“We have already put in place measures to ensure that we deal with insecurity challenge through teamwork between the government, communities and leaders," Korir said.
He said so many people had lost their lives in the region and it was time for leaders and communities to urgently engage in dialogue on how to end the problem that also has frozen development.
“We need concerted efforts to deal with the problem of insecurity in Kerio Valley," Korir said. He plans a leaders; meeting in the region to help find solutions ahead of exams.
While handing over to Korir two weeks ago, former county commissioner Dr Ahmed Omar, who was moved to Busia, harshly told off political leaders for failing to support the government to end insecurity.
Dr Omar accused the political leaders of going to the extent of using the plight of affected children in the region to seek political mileage. When there's a killing, they rush for a photo opportunity, then go back to Nairobi, he said.
“If they really need peace for their people, they have to work with government officers in a collaborative manner. They shouldn’t always blame the county commissioner as if we have a magic bullet to end banditry," he said.
However the political leaders from the region led by Governors Alex Tolgos of Elgeyo Marakwet, his West Pokot counterpart John Lonyangapuo and Senator Kipchumba Murkomen said they were keen to end the problem of insecurity.
(Edited by V. Graham)