West Pokot and Turkana leaders met at the border point to preach peace and held special prayers together to ensure peaceful coexistence among the two communities. The leaders accompanied by security personnel from the town counties said peace has to prevail along the common border.
Led by West Pokot Senator Prof John Lonyangapuo, Turkana South MP James Lomenen and West Pokot County commander Mr Mathew Kutto saw the handing over of 377 cows that had been stolen from Turkana and handed back to their owners. The cows were being grazed along the border.
The meeting that was held at Ombolion in Pokot North saw several residents from the two communities resolve together to continue living in peace and embrace one another. The elders from the two communities were applauded for the good gesture and how they assisted in recovering the stolen livestock.
“Our elders are doing a good job to restore peace in this area. We want both County governments to empower them,” said Lonyangapuo.
Senator Lonyangapuo said the government should donate them with motorcycles to assist them with mobility along the border on their peace mission.
He added that the elders play a critical role in solving issues affecting the two communities and it was vital to be well equipped. Turkana South MP James Lomenen said that there are few criminals who are causing such problems among the two communities and that they should report them to the authorities.
He added that the robbery along the Kapenguria–Lodwar highway along the Lami Nyeusi–Kambi Karaya which has seen several commuters plying the route killed has seen it spicing up the emerging of cattle rustling.
Former information minister and Kacheliba MP Samuel Poghisio said that the ministry of internal security should beef up security along the highway and intensify patrols to deal with the increasing menace of robbery.
He said that it was unfortunate of the level of insecurity has reached where security escort should be provided. Poghisio urged the Interior CS to at least send an armoured vehicle to deal with the robbers who have become a threat to the existing peace along the border of Pokot and Turkana.
He, however, thanked the locals for embracing togetherness, adding that the church has greatly assisted many and that schools should be built along the border and other projects like irrigation.
All the leaders said that the hunger situation in the region is dire and that immediate aid should be brought. West Pokot County Commander Mathew Kutto appealed to residents living along the border to report such culprits who disrupt their peace.
However, Kutto said that another contributing factor to the cattle rustling is due to the many illegal guns in the wrong hands and urged them to hand over to the security authorities. “We have engaged with our counterparts from Turkana on how to improve patrols along the border. We urge the communities along the border to report criminals,” he said.