North Rift leaders root for commission to end clashes

Over 20 political leaders involved in a cross-county peace caravan traversing boundary dispute hotspots in the North Rift want a commission set up to end the conflicts.

Governors Josphat Nanok (Turkana), Benjamin Cheboi (Baringo) and Simon Kachapin (West Pokot) together with senators and MPs from the region, have asked locals to stop hostilities over boundaries.

Senators, who spoke on Saturday at Turkwel Village after addressing caravan stops at Loyapat, Lorengkipi and Nasal, said they have the mandate to protect borders and the counties’ resources.

Rift Valley Regional Commissioner Osman Warfa, who will accompany the leaders in the peace initiative through Kapedo, Lokori, and Baragoi and Baringo from today, urged them to work together to ensure that guns are silenced and peace prevails.

West Pokot Senator John Lonyangapuo said he had agreed with fellow Senators Gideon Moi (Baringo) and John Munyes (Turkana), and other political leaders on formation of a commission to look into the disputes and find a lasting solution.

“Locals should not talk about the boundaries. We will propose that a commission be formed. It will be expected to work with the councils of elders of the two communities that are at loggerheads to solve the disputes,” Prof Lonyangapuo said.

Mr Munyes asked the Pokots and Turkanas to refrain from using illegal guns to displace innocent fellow Kenyans.

He said the Senate would pass a law requiring counties where stolen animals are driven, to compensate victims of the cattle raids, adding that the National Government could not implement such a programme.

FOCUS ON DEVELOPMENT

However, Mr Kachapin said the raiders must not be allowed to hide behind their communities and must be treated as criminals.

The governor said the border raids and killings must now be brought to an end, adding that no community should be compelled to pay for crimes committed by criminals behind the cattle raids.

“Criminals will have to carry their own cross so that we enjoy some peace and focus on developing our counties,” Mr Kachapin added.

The governors lamented that counties were spending a lot of money on paying hospitals bills for victims of raids and on relief food for families displaced by banditry.

Turkana South MP James Lomenen said Turkanas and Pokots were suffering because of the attacks, which have left their region lagging behind the rest of the country in development.

He said no local community was benefiting from the Turkwel hydropower plant as it had been vandalised and the neighbouring Lorogon and Amolen villages abandoned.

He asked the leaders to tell their followers to end the hostility as the incitement and shedding of blood were uncalled for.

“We knew the boundary was the main cause of the killings. We have agreed that a commission must be formed to establish the true boundary,” said Mr Lomenen.