Residents – police clash in Kapsait, Pokot south
Hundreds of residents from Kapsait in Lelan, Pokot south sub county within West Pokot county have clashed with administration police.
A group of community members which included elderly women, men, youth and businessmen took a tough stand a notch higher in the fight against alcohol in the area by demonstrating peacefully carrying twigs and placards while chanting slogans ‘FREE LELAN FROM ALCOHOL’ .
The leaders said that they suspected one resident, an engineer from the ministry of water at a water dam site in Kapsait to be bringing in alcohol silently to the area and their intelligence showed that several youths in the area have been lured by the one popularly known resident Engineer ‘Shem’ .
Things took a different twist when the over two hundred residents matched towards the compound where the alleged alcohol was hidden and broke the gate to the engineers residents and offices baying for his blood.
They matched straight to where they believe the alcohol has been hidden and started breaking the doors.
On half way breaking of doors and windows things turned dramatic after one man belonging to the popular SHEM and who has been bringing the brew to the area stoned the protesting crowd after which it become more dramatic as he was wrestled down and beaten by the mob which stirred the compound, but luckily enough the administration police arrived and calmed the situation.
However despite the police arrival most of the residents were now accusing them for wanting to protect those culprits believed to be ferrying alcohol to the area.
The determined residents took an hour to get out of the compound as they chased each other with the police.
According to one leader Mr. Keneth Lomoipong, who lead the residents among others cited the current area deputy county commissioner for allowing such habits of government officer bringing alcohol to unwanted place.
Lomoipomg added that they noticed a group of youth getting high especially at night and after catering enough inteligents they found the said engineer to be the one engaging in very scandalous habits.
The area residents including elders who took part in the demonstration said Lelan or Pokot south sub county had signed an agreement on nine years after kenya got independence that there was no any alcohol that would be sold within the Lelan region.
The leaders said the agreement was reviewed in the year 2010 for another five years which expired last year upon another renewal to the year 2020 with over a thousand signatures which states there is no any individual within the sub county that is going to be allowed to be found to be selling any alcohol and it doesn’t matter whether it is illegal or legal and no one should be found to be drunkard and that any body who wanted to do that should go to other towns.
The elders said they will not allow foreigners to come and disrupt and pollute their strict community rules.
They added that it was wrong for government officials like engineers who instead of heeeding to the presidents directive of fighting alcoholism some like SHEM were doing it through the back door.
Background
Lelan sub county is one of the regions in the entire west pokot county with almost zero percent in terms of alcohol.
At the same time the sub county is the biggest producer in milk production in the north rift which the residents allude to the total acceptance of no alcohol in the region which has brought tremendous developments in the region.
