President Uhuru Kenyatta has been asked to end banditry attacks that have left more than 32 people killed and hundreds of families displaced in the North Rift in the last three months.
Attacks along the border of West Pokot and Elgeyo Marakwet counties have escalated in recent weeks forcing families to flee. About 20 schools have been either deserted or shut.
The Kenya Human Right Commission on Wednesday asked the President to intervene and end the senseless killings. KHRC defender Paul Annan said it was shameful that the government had not acted even as citizens were being slaughtered in cold blood.
“The government is charged with the ultimate responsibility of protecting the lives and property of its people and we have had enough of such brutal killings,” Annan said.
He was addressing a public participation meeting in Kabarnet town, Baringo county. Annan asked Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i deal with the banditry menace conclusively.
“We want to see all the communities coexisting in peace and working together to improve their economy,” he said.
Baringo human rights consortium charman William Kitilit condemned frequent bandit attacks in Baringo North, Tiaty and Baringo South subcounties.
“Cattle rustling appears to be a business deal between a group of armed locals and the government because you cannot explain why nothing is being done to end banditry even when innocent people continue to be slaughtered and their livestock stolen,” Kitilit said.
Kitilit also criticised the government for the withdrawal of guns in the hands of police reservists, saying the move has left residents exposed.
There were about 300 national police reservists in Baringo county.
“It was the same government that issued the guns to the reservists. We don't know why they have been recalled yet nothing is being done to deal with banditry," he said.
Kitilit, who is also a pastor, asked religious leaders to preach peace and reconcile warring communities.
Baringo South youth leader Joshua Bartunen said many locals had been maimed and were receiving treatment in hospitals after bandits attacks on Monday last week.
“The victims are nursing bullet wounds in hospitals with their families now struggling to offset the huge medical bills,” Bartunen said
Annan said corruption was a major challenge that delays development in both the national and county governments. He asked residents to boldly to push for their constitutional rights.
Participants asked the national government to hasten issuance of birth certificates and identification cards and include residents in the budget-making process.
“It is for that reason that the Kenya Human Rights Commission is set to traverse all the 47 counties to remind the locals that sovereign power lies in them,” Annan said.
edited by Peter Obuya
