Residents in Baringo are going through a lot of problems because of insecurity.
As of now, more than 1,000 people have been displaced from their homes, they have no food, water and shelter. many others have been killed since the start of the year.
On Saturday, four people were killed after bandits attacked Kasiela village in Muchongoi, Baringo county, in two separate attacks.
In the first incident, the bandits stormed Kasiela in Baringo South shooting dead three people and injured two others.
The second incident occurred in Kapturo, Baringo North where the bandits killed one person on Saturday morning.
The government should develop strategies to bring law and order and secure this area.
In my view, the government should create awareness among the people in Baringo on the importance of peace and empower them so that they do not only depend on pastoralism as a livelihood and thus stop banditry.
It is only through peace talks and negotiations that the problem will be solved.
We recently saw the government working hard to arrest the boda boda rides who assaulted a woman motorist along Prof Wangari Maathai Road, and ended up imposing to them very harsh rules.
It is right that those who involved in the assault should be punished. Equally, the government should use the same zeal to ensure that the bandits in the Kerio Valley are dealt with.
This is not bandit country. It is a civilized nation that relishes the rule of law and has capable security agencies and an effective judicial system.
It is not good to see people being killed and not much is done to avoid more killings. Insecurity in the Kerio Valley might lead to many students falling in the national examination due to lack of peace of mind among candidates while writing their tests. Candidates deserve protection as they sit their exams. The security personnel should, therefore, try as much as possible to end the conflict.
Residents of the Kerio Valley are crying for help from President Uhuru Kenyatta. He is the commander-in-chief of the Kenya Defence Forces and should thus be on the frontline to ensure security in Baringo.
The insecurity situation should be handled with utmost seriousness. There is a need for a more comprehensive security campaign to end the killings.
Constantine Sifuna, Rongo University
