Food shortage fears as bandits scare agencies

What you need to know:

  • Hundreds of families fled Lorogon and Nakwamoru villages when suspected Pokot raiders killed a herdsman on Tuesday, a day after three schoolchildren were killed in the volatile area.
  • Turkana South Sub-County Commissioner Elijah Kodo said a herdsman was shot dead yesterday in a protracted conflict between the communities caused by boundary disputes and incessant cattle raids.
  • Civil society groups in the region yesterday described the humanitarian situation as pathetic as the homeless families can neither go to the market to buy food or seek medical attention.

A humanitarian crisis is looming as relief food cannot be delivered to two villages on the Turkana and West Pokot border where four people were shot dead.

Hundreds of families fled Lorogon and Nakwamoru villages when suspected Pokot raiders killed a herdsman on Tuesday, a day after three schoolchildren were killed in the volatile area.
Neither the police nor the county administration have been able to contain the situation that is degenerating fast.

Turkana South Sub-County Commissioner Elijah Kodo said a herdsman was shot dead yesterday in a protracted conflict between the communities caused by boundary disputes and incessant cattle raids.

Mr David Lochuch, one of the 20 police reservists at the Lorogon, said William Achuka, 42, was shot dead at close range near his house yesterday morning.

“The deceased had moved from his sister’s house, where he had taken refuge, to his house less than 100 metres away. He was shot in the back by bandits who were hiding behind his manyatta,” Mr Lochuch said.

The reservist said several families have been rendered homeless in retaliatory bandit attacks that have claimed over 20 lives in the past two months.

Civil society groups in the region yesterday described the humanitarian situation as pathetic as the homeless families can neither go to the market to buy food or seek medical attention.

“There could be an outbreak of contagious diseases such as cholera due to the poor conditions under which the villagers are living in,” Chairman of Turkana Civil Society Consortium Eliud Emeri said.

He took issue with the National Government’s failure to tackle the upsurge in insecurity. Mr Kodo said it is difficult to access the villages as armed bandits have surrounded them.

Turkana Kenya Red Cross coordinator Ken Mulama warned of a humanitarian crisis, saying people are in dire need of water and food.

“Aid agencies are unable to access the villages for fear of attacks. Security officials have warned that bandits are hiding in bushes near the road,” Mr Mulama said.

Turkana South MP James Lomenen said even after asking the Ministry of Interior to provide a police chopper for surveillance in a bid to flush out the bandits, nothing has being done.

“The government is not taking precautionary measures fast enough to avoid more killings. Is it waiting for a massacre for security to be intensified?” Mr Lomenen said.

The MP said several times he has asked the number of police reservists at Lorogon be increased or the Anti-Stock Theft Unit and General Service Unit be replaced for failing to provide security.

A resident, Ms Margaret Esinyen, said by phone on Tuesday that the slow response by National Government is making them vulnerable.

“We do not know if the government is feeling our plight. Children are being killed,” she said.

Ms Esinyen said just like other Kenyans, they, too, deserve security, access to food and water.