Members of parliament from West Pokot County have castigated the interior cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i and Rift Valley Regional Coordinator George Natembeya for doing a biased security operation in the troubled war on Kapedo area along the Baringo and Turkana border Counties.
The leaders said that the security organs were targeting only one community during the operation. More than ten people including security officers have been killed in the last two weeks.
Kapenguria member of parliament Samuel Moroto who led other leaders to condemn the brutal operation said that only leaders from the Pokot community have been arrested, accused of incitement and not their Turkana counterparts.
“There are guns in both counties and we don’t know why the government is doing it selectively. The Government should arrest leaders from both communities who have been inciting locals. A GSU Officer was killed after the Turkana leaders had a meeting in the area but they are walking scot free .They pretended to be under siege for nothing, ” noted Moroto.
Moroto said that the conflict in the area was because of the scramble for resources. “ The area has many resources but not benefiting Pokots, Tugen or Turkana but rich people. Former PC Hajj went to Kapedo and came out with a report that Kapedo was in Baringo,” he said.
Speaking yesterday to the press at St. Francis for the blind in Kapenguria, The legislator pointed out that both communities should be disarmed for peace to prevail in the area.
Mr Moroto faulted the Government over blanket condemnation of the Pokot community. He said that it was wrong for Mr Natembeya to be issuing threats in offices without involving the local leadership.
“The conflict between Pokot and Karamojong ended because Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni employed dialogue without using excessive force. Learners will drop out of school and go back to the bush,” he said.
He took issue with Regional commissioner Natembeya’s remarks that Pokot have intruded the Turkana land insisting that Kapedo area was a Pokot land. “You started well in marginalized counties through dialogue .The Government should empower residents through business and agriculture ,” he said.
He cited that there is peace at the Turkwel belt along the West Pokot and Turkana border point. “ Former IG Boinnett initiated annual celebrations.We chose 30 peace committees members from Pokot and Turkana communities,” he said.
Nominated member of the County assembly Eljah Kasheusheu wondered why the security team was killing animals. “Nkaisery killed us in 1984 while Saitoti mistreated us. We shall resort to prayers . We don’t fear to death. You can kill all Pokots but not their spirit,” he said. He added that leaders are not after political mileage accusing Dr Matiangi over talking ill on the Pokot community
“ When did he last go to Kapedo and West Pokot?Media has been blocked from accessing the area. Roads are blocked and there is no food for the innocent children .The security officers should look for bandits ,”he said.
“Dc Langat killed many Pokots and he also died .We voted for Uhuru Kenyatta who appointed you. You claim that what will be done on Pokot will remain to be history . More than 12000 cows have been killed, there is no school and no treatment ,” said Kasheusheu
Mr Moses Cheperer said that the Government should determine where the boundary is . “We know Turkana South MP James Lomen wants to be the Turkana Governor. Kapedo is in Pokot,” he said.