Little to show for operation in Kapedo one month later

The Kenya Defence Forces patrol Ng’inyang’area in Baringo County on November 12, 2014. Apart from 23 firearms, some of which are believed to have been stolen from the slain officers, which herders have surrendered voluntarily, the Kenya Defence Force (KDF) operation is yet to recover a single illegal weapon. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA |

What you need to know:

  • Apart from 23 firearms, some of which are believed to have been stolen from the slain officers, which herders have surrendered voluntarily, the Kenya Defence Force (KDF) operation is yet to recover a single illegal weapon.
  • He vowed that the government will stop at nothing until all illegal firearms in the hands of civilians are surrendered or seized. He acknowledged that the uniforms and bullets stolen from the slain officers are yet to be recovered.
  • The disarmament has also come under criticism over claims that security personnel have been harassing innocent civilians and burning their houses instead of going for the culprits believed to be in forests.

On November 3, the government rolled out a massive disarmament drive in Tiaty Sub-County following the killing of 19 Administration Police officers and three civilians at Kasarani near Kapedo town at the border of Baringo and Turkana counties.

But has the exercise borne any fruit, one month down the line?

Apart from 23 firearms, some of which are believed to have been stolen from the slain officers, which herders have surrendered voluntarily, the Kenya Defence Force (KDF) operation is yet to recover a single illegal weapon.

The recovered guns were dropped by bandits at strategic points at night where Pokot professionals and elders would pick them up and drop them at the sub-county headquarters in Chemolingot.

But Rift Valley Regional Commissioner Osman Warfa has commended the ongoing exercise, which he said has restored calm in the area.

He vowed that the government will stop at nothing until all illegal firearms in the hands of civilians are surrendered or seized. He acknowledged that the uniforms and bullets stolen from the slain officers are yet to be recovered.

“After verifying from our records, we established that two of the 23 guns were stolen in a past ambush on police officers. This means that two firearms, over 2,000 bullets and three Riffle Fired Grenades (RFG) stolen from the officers killed in the recent incident are still in the wrong hands.

We will rest at nothing until all firearms in the hands of civilians are seized,” Mr Warfa told the Sunday Nation on telephone.

HARASSING CIVILIANS
He maintained that the government will only suspend the ongoing operation if the residents surrender all illegal firearms in their possession.

The administrator accused leaders from warring communities in the North Rift for fuelling border conflicts by making reckless utterances, which have incited the communities to turn against each other.

The disarmament has also come under criticism over claims that security personnel have been harassing innocent civilians and burning their houses instead of going for the culprits believed to be in forests.

Ribkwo/Kositei Ward MCA Daniel Tuwit claimed that the officers have already shot dead 83 cows, nine camels and 240 donkeys and set ablaze more than 20 houses and shops. 

He cited the areas where this has occurred as Chesakam, Chemolingot, Silale, Naudo, Riong’o and Chesitet, where the officers have pitched camp.

“Why kill animals? I think this is no longer a normal operation but is aimed at starving the Pokot and ruining their livelihood. Instead of harassing innocent people in shopping centres, why don’t the government which has all the machinery go to the forest where the bandits are hiding?” posed Mr Tuwit.

After the alleged security personnel malpractices, Inspector General David Kimaiyo (now retired) claimed that the animals were killed following a fierce shoot out between the officers and armed Pokot raiders.

CHILLING ORDEALS

KDF, which is leading the operation, has also denied harassing civilians or torching houses.

In a statement two weeks ago, KDF denied causing any damage in the region, saying that its soldiers had already left the area before the alleged looting and harassment occurred.

Residents from the operation area who spoke to the Sunday Nation narrated chilling ordeals as the soldiers hurled explosives on suspected bandit hideouts to smoke them out.

Pokot leaders among them MPs Asman Kamama (Tiaty), Samuel Moroto (Kapenguria), David Pkosing (Pokot South), Mark Lomonokol (Kacheliba) and Regina Nyeris (West Pokot Women Rep) who met President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House recently are seeking the suspension of the operation.

The leaders argue that their people have already started co-operating with the government by surrendering illegal firearms.