Police guard schools in Elgeyo-Marakwet as tension rises over cattle rustling, bandit attacks

All schools in the insecurity-hit Kerio Valley have been put under tight security even as Parliament debated the cattle rustling menace.

Members of Parliament debated a motion seeking to set aside funds to compensate cattle rustling and banditry victims in pastoralist areas.

Meanwhile, learning was paralysed Wednesday as pupils and students failed to show up in schools following their families’ displacement by the clashes.

The government has subsequently moved to place all schools under heavy, armed guard, with over 200 police officers on constant patrol and armoured vehicles also sent to the area.

Elgeyo-Marakwet County police Coordinator Shariff Abdalla said apart from churches and hospitals, all public institutions in the Kerio Valley are under police guard.

“We do not expect that any of the warring communities can take their wrath to churches and hospitals. I don’t think so,” Mr Abdalla said.

Liter, Kerio Valley Boys, Queen of Peace and Tot Mixed Day secondary schools are among dozens of schools that have security officers manning them.

Mr Abdalla said the officers will be constantly on patrol and that security authorities in Baringo and West Pokot counties were working jointly in beefing up border security.

LIVESTOCK CARTELS

In Parliament, MPs spoke of cartels and livestock merchants involved in cattle rustling, saying they were supplying guns and ammunition and paying allowances to the raiders.

They said livestock stolen from Kerio Valley are transported to urban markets, where they are sold cheaply.

Baringo North MP William Cheptumo moved a motion asking the government to declare cattle rusting a national disaster and establish a fund to compensate the rustling victims.

Speaking while contributing to the motion, Marakwet East MP Kangogo Bowen, whose constituency has been seriously affected, said learning across Kerio Valley had been paralysed following endless bandit attacks that had led to the loss of lives.

He was, however, forced to withdraw and apologise for his claims that Tiaty MP Asman Kamama, whose constituency borders Marakwet East, was perpetrating cattle rustling.

Mr Kamama, however, vehemently denied the allegations, saying he is a civilized Pokot man who could not engage in criminal activities.

He is the chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Security.

“For someone to think that Kamama is involved in cattle rustling is very wrong. If there are insiders involved in this criminality, the government should investigate [them].

“The people of my constituency have equally lost lives and property worth billions of shillings due to the archaic practice of cattle rustling. The fund should be set up to compensate victims,” said Mr Kamama.

MORE POLICE RESERVISTS

He said his committee had recommended the setting aside of Sh400 million to recruit more police reservists, pay their allowances and equip them with uniforms.

Ndhiwa MP Aghostinho Neto said cattle rustling had created internally displaced persons in various parts of the North Rift region, adding that he supported the setting up of the special fund to resettle the victims.

Some MPs, however, opposed the motion, saying compensating rustling victims was like glorifying the practice and was tantamount to confirming the government’s inefficiency to deal with the menace.

Belgut MP Eric arap Keter, who opposed the motion, said there was a need to address historical injustices and develop infrastructure in the areas where the practice was rampant.

Bura MP Ali Wario also opposed the motion, saying it was a counter-productive way of dealing with cattle rustling.

He added that Kenya should learn from neighbouring Uganda, Ethiopia and South Sudan in dealing with the illegal weapons in the hands of civilians.