We fund raids, group tells Kaparo
What you need to know:
- They also admitted posting hate messages on social media sites to incite their people to violence, which the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) says, has nearly wiped out a whole generation in the last 10 years.
- “I can’t understand why you use your pastime to kill one another,” NCIC chairman Francis ole Kaparo told the professionals from Turkana, Samburu, Pokot, Turgen, Ilchamus, Borana and Rendille communities, which have fighting one another over resources.
- The professionals said the funds they send through mobile money transfer was used to buy the ammunition their people were using to fight. However, they declined to disclose where the bullets were obtained from.
A group of professionals from the northern region Thursday owned up to bankrolling banditry in their home villages.
They said they have been sending funds by mobile money transfer to their kinsmen to buy ammunition for use in cattle raids.
They also admitted posting hate messages on social media sites to incite their people to violence, which the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) says, has nearly wiped out a whole generation in the last 10 years.
“I can’t understand why you use your pastime to kill one another,” NCIC chairman Francis ole Kaparo told the professionals from Turkana, Samburu, Pokot, Turgen, Ilchamus, Borana and Rendille communities, which have fighting one another over resources.
The chairman of the group dubbed, Northern Peace Caravan, Mr Raphael Lenaiyarria, had invited the NIC boss to assist them to seek a lasting solution to the ethnic conflicts in the volatile region. The meeting was held at the Serena Hotel in Nairobi.
He said they had realised that they could not enjoy the fruits of devolution in their counties where the people spend most of their time fighting or planning to raid their neighbours.
WHERE BULLETS CAME FROM
A member, Mr Abduba Nagele, form Isiolo County, said: “We are the ones who post negative messages on social media and since it us who have gone to school, let us use the same forum to preach peace amongst ourselves.”
The professionals said the funds they send through mobile money transfer was used to buy the ammunition their people were using to fight. However, they declined to disclose where the bullets were obtained from.
But Mr Lenaiyarria admitted that cattle rustling had been commercialised with the stolen animals sold immediately to raise more money.
Although he did not say what they do with the money, Mr Kaparo said he is aware that it is used to buy guns.
“What we need to do is to change the narrative of cattle-rustling as it is no longer a culture that it used to be,” Mr Lenaiyarria said.
The professionals also cited tribalism as another factor that provokes violence, when a governor employees only people from his tribe to county positions.
They vowed to stop inciting their people and work together to end conflict in the northern region.
