Leaders from West Pokot County have castigated the Rift valley regional commissioner Mr. George Natembeya for calling off the search for 17 missing bodies following the flash floods and mudslides that claimed 37 people at Chesegon area along the West Pokot and Elgeyo Marakwet border point days ago.
The regional commissioner called off the search of bodies saying it was impossible to retrieve any more of them from the debris owing to huge boulders and mounds of soil that had buried them.
Natembeya instead laid wreaths on the banks of Chesegon River to mark the end of the search, a move that irked residents and local leaders.
Speaking at Cheptulel area, the leaders said that it was wrong for the regional boss to stop the search before getting all the missing bodies.
Sigor Member of parliament Peter Lochakapong and his Kapenguria counterpart Samuel Moroto said that residents in the area needs more time to look for their loved ones who perished in the disaster. The duo now wants the government to rescind the decision to allow residents continue with recovery of missing bodies.
Lochakapong pointed out that four people from the Pokot side are still missing.
“We are deeply concerned about our people who died and their bodies have not been found. Residents still believe that they will get their loved ones and they can do it for themselves. We need to bury our people honorably,” said Lochakapong. The MP called on the government to relocate affected families and build them alternative homes.
Moroto faulted Natembeya for not consulting area leaders during his visit recently in the area. “He came and only talked to police officers but not locals and leaders. It is sad for government officers to negate locals in times of disaster,” he said.
The MP also took issue with the regional commissioner for his recent shoot to kill order of bandits wreaking havoc in the area. However, he lauded President Uhuru Kenyatta for allocating Kshs. 400 million to help affected people from both West Pokot and Elgeyo Marakwet Counties.