Bring military to end North Rift insecurity, leaders say

Kerio Valley Development Authority Managing Director David Kimosop addresses a peace meeting in Eldoret Town on February 12, 2018 where leaders asked the government to deploy the military to restore security in the North Rift. PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Speaker after speaker said the government had done little to end banditry.

  • Mr Kimosop said the region had a potential to be a bread basket since more than 800,000 could be put under irrigation.

  • Baringo, Elgeyo-Marakwet and West Pokot counties have been affected by banditry.

Leaders in banditry-prone North Rift counties have asked the government to send soldiers in a bid to disarm locals.

Attacks and rustling have left more than 10 people dead and displaced thousands of others in the last one month.

The leaders drawn from Baringo, Elgeyo-Marakwet and West Pokot counties were unanimous that insecurity had destroyed lives and curtailed development.

During a meeting at Kerio Valley Development Authority Plaza in Eldoret Monday, speaker after speaker said the government had done little to end banditry.

“I’m tired of burying people every weekend. How many more lives should we lose before the government to acts?” Elgeyo-Marakwet County boss Alex Tolgos asked.

KVDA Managing Director David Kimosop said many projects in the three counties had stalled because of insecurity.

He said the region had a potential to be a bread basket since more than 800,000 could be put under irrigation.

“The situation grows worse during the dry spell. Our leaders should put aside their differences and look for a lasting solution to the problem,” Mr Kimosop said.