Warring communities resolve to maintain peace

Political leaders and top security chiefs from Nyanza and Rift Valley have resolved to deal sternly with cattle rustling that was singled out as the key source of tribal clashes at Olmelil along the Narok-Kisii border.

In a peace meeting held on Wednesday, the leaders together with members of the Kipsigis community and their Kisii neighbours, unanimously resolved to embrace peace and end retaliatory attacks that have been witnessed in the past five months.

Rift Valley Regional Coordinator Wanyama Musiambo, his Nyanza counterpart Wilson Njega, Narok Governor Samuel Tunai, Kisii Governor James Ongwae, Kisii senator Chris Obure, Kisii Deputy governor Joash Maangi, MPs Elijah Moindi (Nyaribari Masaba) and Johanna Ng’eno (Emurrua Dikirr) attended the meeting.

Mr Musiambo and Mr Njega when parading chiefs and their assistants from both regions warned that those who fail to curb cattle rustling in their locations risk being sacked.

“Chiefs know the cattle thieves in their locations. They cannot keep on giving lame excuses that they cannot trace the stolen cow’s footprints. The cows are not ferried in air,” said Mr Musiambo.

He added that chiefs will bear the burden of any stolen cows reported to have disappeared in their areas and ordered that all stolen cows in the region be recovered.

“They have community policing, Nyumba kumi and other elders with them. They have no excuse to not recover stolen cows,” he said.

He said cattle rustling is not a tribe and cattle thieves should not hide under communities to perpetrate their heinous acts.

“Cattle rustlers are criminals and should be treated as such,” he said.

His Nyanza counterpart Mr Njega said murderers, those who torch houses and those who raise war screams are all criminals and will be arrested and prosecuted.

“We do not know any tribe here, we are all Kenyans, but criminals have no space in our society,” he said.

He said they have records of people who died during the clashes and murder suspects would soon be brought to book.

“Life lost must be accounted for. The government will not watch as more lives are lost,” said Mr Njega.

Illegal firearms, they administrators said, could be in the hands of some residents and demanded that all unlicensed firearms must be surrendered to the state immediately.

They also cautioned politicians against politicising security issues saying some politicians had started politicking the Olmelil border issue.

Mr Tunai and Mr Ongwae reiterated the need for peace saying they will ensure improved infrastructure at Olmelil to facilitate easy movement in the region.

They said they are committed to ensure residents enjoy the fruits of devolution as the National government keeps check on security matters.

“It is very wrong that other Kenyans are busy with stock exchange market in Nairobi while hear, we are busy with stock theft,” said Mr Tunai.

Mr Ongwae said his government will facilitate a road in the region which will ensure the two communities co-exist.

“It is very shameful while we keep on fighting and the rest of the world is busy developing,” he said.

Mr Ng’eno and Mr Moindi each pledged Sh10 million constituency development fund for a water project that will be shared by all residents.