Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet has appealed to the communities residing in the North Rift region to embrace peace and avoid community clashes. Speaking during the burial of police commissioner Robson Ndiema at Kinyoro ward in Saboti constituency Trans Nzoia County, IG Boinett said rampant attacks among communities residing in the region isn’t good for the country, and called upon leaders and the church to intervene in order to find a lasting solution. Cattle rustling and banditry activities have been witnessed over long periods in communities from Pokot,Turkana and Marakwet, and the government has already deployed security officers to stem the clashes at several points.
The Police IG added that the communities in the region must abandon some cultural practices that aren’t beneficial to the communities and engage in meaningful activities including focusing on education which will help shift the residents’ perspective in the region to focus on peaceful co-existence. He further warned leaders who may be fueling the conflicts of dire consequences.
On the traffic situation, he urged all drivers and road users to respect the law in order to avoid any confrontations with the police, and that they’ll not relent when it comes to enforcing the traffic laws. He said this after Kiminini MP Dr. Chris Wamalwa and his Saboti counterpart Caleb Amisi urged police officers to be lenient especially to boda boda operators till next year February before they enforce rules governing them. He also said they shouldn’t harass locals who stick to their cultural practices this festive season and opt to take busaa.
The IG told the leaders to take the motion to the Assembly and told them to stop inciting locals. “It’s you MPs who enact the law, we are the enforcers. Don’t bring your issues here by inciting locals to break the law thinking we’ll be lenient on them,” he said.