Two MPs from West Pokot County have cautioned residents living along the West Pokot and Turkana border against being incited towards hostility to their neighbours, something which is sparking animosity between the neighbouring communities. In the few past weeks there have been conflicts in the region where neighboring communities have been grappling with border disputes as well as cattle rustling because of utterances by politicians.
They asked residents to shun politicians who incite them in order to gain political mileage. Speaking at Karas area while inspecting development projects, Kapenguria MP Samuel Moroto and his Pokot South counterpart David Pkossing asked leaders from the two Counties to stop politicizing security issues. Pkossing asked residents and leaders to support and sustain the peace experienced in the area. “Don’t accept to be cheated by politicians who interfere with the current peace we are experiencing,” he said. The legislator urged residents to embrace peace citing that peace is good for development.
He called on leaders in government to tackle insecurity in the area and help return stolen animals. He further urged elected leaders not to utter inflammatory statements on media, including social platforms, faulting some leaders for inciting locals against their neighbours in the process, “It is immoral for a leader to utter words that can bring tension.” Pkossing noted that most Counties in North Rift are marginalized and this is the time to develop the region and show residents the right path.
On his part, Moroto urged area leaders to embrace dialogue and work together for development to be realized in the region. “Leaders should shun uttering words that can lead to conflict,” he said.