More than 25 schools reopened in Baringo

More than 25 schools that had been closed due to bandit attacks in Baringo South and Baringo North reopened on Thursday following the deployment of security officers to the areas. This happened as hundreds of West Pokot residents demonstrated in Kapenguria against what they termed as discrimination of their community in the ongoing security operation in Baringo and Kerio Valley.

Baringo North Sub-County Commissioner John Tonui said: “Calm is slowly returning to the troubled areas and people who had fled their homes have returned to their homes. Out of the 36 schools that had closed due to rampant banditry attacks in Baringo North, more than 20 have reopened”.

Among the schools that have reopened in Baringo North are Bartabwa, Chemintany, Kaborion, Kalabata, Kapturo, Kinyach, Koiserat, Terenin, Toboroi, Tunoiwo, Moinonin, Kosile, Sibilo, Rondinin, Yatya, Sibilo, Yatya and Sibilo secondary schools.

In Baringo South, those that have reopened include Arabal, Mukutani, Kasiela, Chebinyiny, Chemorongion, Sinoni, Nyimbei, Tuiyotich and Kapindasim.

PARENTS FLED

More than 50 schools had been closed in the region after parents fled with their children fearing attacks by suspected Pokot bandits.

Deputy President (DP) William Ruto had launched the security operation in Baringo to flush out bandits late last month and relative clam has returned to volatile areas in Baringo since.

Speaking to the Nation, Baringo South Sub-County commissioner Patrick Musango urged more than 3,000 people who had fled their homes because of the attacks to go back home saying security had been beefed up.

“Security has improved in the volatile areas and it is now safe. Illegal herders from the neighbouring community have been ejected and we have set up buffer zones which are manned by police officers,” Mr Musango said.

In West Pokot, residents protested, saying their people were bearing the brunt of the operation the DP had launched and their leaders were being targeted for defending them.

The residents, who marched on the streets of Kapenguria, faulted the DP’s shoot-to-kill order on bandits suspected to be from Pokot who had terrorised the Tugen and the Marakwet over the last two weeks. The bandits had killed at least 10 people before the government intervened by sending a contingent of police officers and recruiting more Kenya Police Reserve (KPR) officers.

They carried placards and sang songs against the DP, accusing him of meddling in the community's affairs.

One of the placards read: “We are not criminals. We are Kalenjins and peace loving Kenyans. Hatutaki Ruto (We don’t want Ruto)”.

The demonstrators said their leaders, including West Pokot Senator John Lonyangapuo, were peace champions and not inciters.

BE PROTECTED

They said the Pokot had been marginalised since independence and they should be protected like all Kenyans.

They said the whole community should not be taken as aggressors and their leaders have championed peace among the neighbouring communities of Sebei, Karamojong of Uganda, Turkana, Marakwet and Luhya.

“Pokots are Kenyans. If they don’t want us we can go to Uganda. We want development and not (security) operation. We need irrigation and education and not guns,” Josephine Cheprum said.

The residents accused the government of disrespecting their leaders, insisting Prof Lonyangapuo was the community’s spokesman.

 “Our others leaders Lonyangapuo and MPs Samuel Moroto (Kapenguria), Phillip Rotino (Sigor) and Mark Lomunokol (Kacheliba) are being blamed for nothing,” Ozil Kaseusheu said.

They said it was unacceptable that the whole community had been branded bandits because of a few criminals.

“They are killings our animals. We have been branded names as bandits, terrorists, and al-Shabaab. We cannot be colonized by Ruto. Nkaissery did an operation here in 1984 and killed our people and has come back again to kill us again,” Moses Muyahudi said.

They accused the government of bias in deploying KPR officers in the region.

“The government deployed many KPRs to Marakwet and few to Pokot yet our Senator Lonyangapuo is the one who pushed for the passing of KPR Bill in parliament,” he added.

However, they said they will support Uhuru Kenyatta but not William Ruto in this year’s General Election.

“We have more than 250,000 votes,” Meshack Kakuko said.