Leaders from West Pokot County have threatened not to vote for Jubilee government in the coming elections if the government will not curb the insecurity along the border.
The leaders want security intensified along the border of West Pokot and Turkana counties.
This comes after three people were shot dead on Wednesday at Amolem village by suspected bandits who took off immediately without stealing livestock.
Led by Sigor Member of Parliament Philip Rotino, the leaders condemned the killings and asked the jubilee government to intervene if they still need votes from West Pokot county.
Speaking at the scene where the three were killed, Rotino said in the entire Masol ward voter registration is not ongoing because of insecurity and Jubilee government should not expect votes from the region.
“In the whole ward nobody is going to vote. If this government of President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto still require the votes from this area they should come in forcefully and try to disarm the people,” he said.
He added that the bullets that were used to kill the young men were from the government armory, and hence suspected the Kenya Police Reservists for colluding with bandits who are given guns.
He added that he will not mobilize the people from his constituency to vote for jubilee government because of insecurity and drought that is persistent in the area.
“My people are dying because of insecurity and hunger, elephants are also roaming everywhere killing people. My people are not secure. We are asking the government, what do they want us to do if the deaths pile on?” he questioned.
He appealed to the government to provide food to the hunger-stricken families and buy livestock before they die.
He suspected Jubilee and ODM politics in Turkana county had taken a centre stage in the insecurity issue along the border, and asked the leaders from Turkana county to solve their differences.
“Some leaders in Turkana are being pressured by other leaders to disrupt peace along the border so that they can gain political mileage. There is no border issue or cattle rustling, why do they kill and run away without stealing livestock? I appeal my people to stop retaliation and let the government deal with the insecurity issue,” he added.
County police commander Mathews Kuto confirmed the killings, stating that the insecurity issue was no longer about cattle rustling but organised banditry along the border.
He added that tension still remains high in the area, and security officers have been deployed to man the border.
“We have lived in peace for more than one year and it’s unfortunate that few criminals have started disrupting the peace. Leaders should stop incitement and the two communities should not accept few people to disrupt peace,” he added.
Kuto said more police camps are being set up in the area and police officers are patrolling day and night to curb insecurity.
Sekerr ward MCA Thomas Ngolesia asked residents to fish out the wrong doers and the government to investigate the bullets that were used to kill the people if they were from the government.