By Vincent Mabatuk

The administration police officers in full combat uniform and with AK47 guns slung over their shoulders march across the sun-baked earth.

As they pass through the dozens of temporary structures hosting hundreds of people who have fled their homes in Bartabwa Division of Baringo North District due to insecurity, the displaced people look at them with some indifference. The victims have camped at Bartabwa AP camp.

The seven APs backed by men armed with bows and arrows are the only hope for security for the families camped here.

This area is now the epicentre of the cattle rustling menace pitting impoverished pastoralists against a well-organised army of raiders armed with sophisticated weapons ranging from M16, G3 to AK47 guns.

 

killing spree

The raiders move from village to village killing innocent villagers and driving away their livestock— their only source of livelihood. And recently, the raiders have started burning down the resident’s huts.

The raiders fear no one.

In the last three weeks, at least five people have been killed and dozens maimed by the marauding bandits.

Abraham Kiptum, a 30-year-old herder who was visibly too frightened, said the raiders from a neighbouring community would never let them live in peace.

Kiptum, who was undergoing treatment at Kabarnet District Hospital when The Standard team visited him, was shot and injured on the leg as he tried to pursue 200 goats driven away by the raiders last Sunday night at Kapturo village.

“Initially, they raided villages for our livestock. Now they kill people, take over farms and even vandalise our homes,” he lamented.

Martha Elijah, another victim, said attackers stormed Kesumet village where she lives and killed a 100-year-old man before they drove away with cattle and goats.

 

bitter memories

The old man, who had a broken leg, could not manage to flee with the rest of the villagers when the raiders struck. “He was shot right through the mouth and killed on the spot,” she noted.

Mr Vincent Yator is a bitter man. He says the raiders cleared villages and killed his relatives and friends who were herding cattle.

“It’s not that I like living in the bush with my family but I have nowhere else to go,” he said.

He is among more than 1000 people who have fled their homes and sought refuge at Bartawa AP camp where seven administration policemen are stationed.

The camp, which is on the verge of being closed, cannot cope with the large number of people occupying the small compound without proper sanitation facilities.

The victims say the last time they witnessed such an event was in 1977 when the Pokots raided them killing dozens.

The few APs guarding them have now been reduced to spectators. No arrests or recovery of stolen animals has been made

Mr Yator lamented that parents cannot afford to pay school fees as they have lost a big number of livestock to the attackers.

Indeed, 14 schools have closed down indefinitely and children who are supposed to be in class are either assisting their parents to construct tents or pursuing stolen animals.

Family members have been separated while those who stuck together are starving with no hope of going back to their homes any soon.

“I do not know where some of my children went. After the attacks, I have not seen two of them,” said Ms Rose Yatich, 34.

The victims go without food and spend cold nights in tents and learning institutions that are guarded by a few security personnel deployed in the area.

 

historical raids

Although the area has a history of cattle rustling, elders and local leaders are reading a different agenda in the recent attacks.

Tuluk assistant chief Mosses Kiptum Tuluk said the raiders used to attack for cattle, sheep and goats.

“They have changed their style and are now even burning houses and killing women and children. The attacks have taken a different dimension,” he said.

The administrator said the attackers seem to have instructions to drive away one community from the area.

The raiders, he said, are well organised and armed with superior weapons.

The vast area affected by the conflict is essentially a no-go zone for journalists and human rights workers.

Yator observed that the raiders appear keen in driving one community out of the area rather than stealing livestock.

“Their attacks are well coordinated and appear to be targeting at driving away the people out of the area because we have received reports that they intend to push us 27 kilometres deep into Baringo North District,” he said.

Recently, he said, the raiders issued a warning that they would be attacking Chemoe, Chepkesim, Kapturo, Tuluk, and Kesumet and indeed they made good their threats.

“This openly shows that they fear no one not even the few security personnel deployed in the area,” he said.

 

A forgotten project

to beef up security

Following unending attacks in the region, former President Moi in 1997 sponsored the construction of Bartabwa divisional headquarters.

Although this was meant to bring Government security apparatus closer to its people, 15 years down the line, not even a district officer is yet to be deployed.

A magnificent 14-room building that consumed millions of taxpayers’ money to construct is now being used by area chief and his assistant.

About 100 metres from the administration block, stood a tile roofed DO’s residence now occupied by World Vision staff.

William Cheptumo, the assistant minister of Constitutional Affairs and also the area MP accused the Government of taking too long to stop killings in the area. Cheptumo challenged the Government to look into the root cause of the conflict that has caused loss of many lives and property.

“Families continue streaming in the camps and we want the Government and humanitarian agents to assist them,” he said.

Baringo North DC Joshua Ogango acknowledged the shortage of security personnel deployed to track down the raiders.

“Although we have a small number of security officers on the ground, the Government will deploy  extra officers to beef up security,” said the DC.

He added that the Government, through the Ministry of Special Programmes, would continue supplying the affected families with relief food as peace-building programmes continue among warring communities.