Displaced families cry for help over arms mop-up
Tiaty MP Asman Kamama (right) addresses journalists during a past press conference. The MP said the former soldier could have been killed on suspicion that he was masterminding the perennial cattle rustling menace in Baringo County. PHOTO | FILE |
What you need to know:
- Asman Kamama is the chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Internal Security and Administration.
- The military said soldiers had left the area before the alleged looting and harassment.
A humanitarian crisis looms in Tiaty sub-county as food supplies are not reaching the area due to the ongoing bid to disarm villagers.
Security officers have erected road blocks, hindering food transportation.
The situation was aggravated after 83 cows, nine camels and 240 donkeys were allegedly killed and more than 20 houses and shops set ablaze.
MPs Asman Kamama (Tiaty), Samuel Moroto (Kapenguria), David Pkosing (Pokot South), Mark Lomonokol (Kacheliba) and Regina Nyeris (West Pokot Woman representative) asked well-wishers and humanitarian agencies to come to the aid of the residents.
“These people are living in deplorable conditions and we call on the government to suspend the operation,” said Mr Kamama after the tour of the area in the company of fellow lawmakers.
The leaders, who met President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House in Nairobi last Friday, condemned the harassment of civilians and destruction of property.
“As much as we condemn killing of the officers, the government is not justified to unleash terror on innocent Kenyans. It should go for the criminals but not destroy our people’s economic livelihoods,” said Mr Kamama.
The MP is also chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Internal Security and Administration.
MIGRATING TO SAFER AREAS
The Kenya Red Cross Society, says many families were migrating to safer areas where they can access relief supplies, medicine, shelter and water.
“We fear an outbreak of contagious diseases due to the squalid conditions in some of the makeshift shelters,” Mr Kennedy Mulama, Kenya Red Cross Turkana County manager told the Nation by phone.
Most families are said to be fleeing to Kapedo on the border of Tiaty and Turkana East sub-counties to Pokot North in West Pokot County and Turkana South.
The military has since dismissed as untrue, accusations that it was harassing residents, looting and burning homes in the operation despite the persistent complaints.
The military said soldiers had left the area before the alleged looting and harassment.
The soldiers were deployed to the area after the killing of 19 AP officers and three civilians three weeks ago.
