Development key to stability in cattle rustling prone areas

By Stephen Makabila                  

NAIROBI, KENYA: Poor infrastructure, high illiteracy and under development are common features in cattle rustling prone areas, that have for over five decades remained behind the rest of the country.

One of the reasons for under development since independence in some parts of the country has been blamed on imbalance in distribution of resources and development revenue due to lack of a clear distribution formula.

But with the new devolved system of government, resources channelled from the national treasury, whose level is based on researched determinants, could help turn around some of these counties, through promotion of development and perhaps help end the rampant cattle rustling culture.

In February this year, the three most affected counties by banditry: West-Pokot, Turkana and Samburu were among 14 counties selected to benefit from the Sh3 billion equalisation fund for the next three years.

The Chairman of the Commission on Revenue Allocation (CRA) Micah Cheserem, had then said the fund allocated to the 14 counties was equivalent to 0.5 per cent of the national revenue.

In deciding which county qualified for the equalisation fund, the commission had indicated that it relied on three parameters of County Development Index, one being historical injustices and its own county surveys.

Turkana County, for example, was allocated the lion’s share of  Sh271 million while West-Pokot got Sh233 million and Samburu 224 million.

West-Pokot County Senator Prof. John Lonyangapuo (pictured above) however notes the system of revenue allocation adopted by the CRA was not fair to under-developed counties. “We are one of the countries with the three enemies declared at independence (Disease, poverty, illiteracy) still intact. Kapenguria  hospital has no casualty ward and even X-ray services, children in some school learn under trees, there is no piped water and electricity despite the county being home to the Turkwel Power project,” points out Lonyangapuo.

According to the Senator, CRA should review the formula of revenue allocations to favour marginalised counties, which he notes are recognised by the Constitution.

“It’s wrong to use factors such as education, population and land size to determine the level of revenue allocations to counties. Determinant factors should majorly be the poverty index and land size among others for us in under-developed counties to benefit well,” adds Lonyangapuo.

He says with improved revenue allocations, he foresees West-Pokot county’s fortunes changing for the better in the next five years.

“In terms of education, I foresee our nursery schools increase from the current 900 to 1,500, primary schools from the current 600 to 1000 while secondary schools increase from the current 90 to 150,” says Lonyangapuo.

He says plans were underway to establish a teachers training college, medical training college and a university  campus in Kapenguria, (the county headquarters) and a meat processing factory at Chepareria at a cost of Sh500 million.

Already, Sh120 million has been spent on the project which has started as a modern slaughter house, and whose operations commences at the end of the year.

“We also intend to boost agriculture by bringing more land under irrigation. Among areas targeted is the completion of the third and fourth phases of Wei Wei Irrigation Scheme,” Lonyangapuo further explains.

Both West-Pokot and Turkana are endowed with minerals, with oil having recently been discovered in Turkana South (Ngamia One) while Limestone is available in Ortum area of West-Pokot. The minerals, according to the government functionaries are of commercial value.

However, the economic turn-around of these counties may largely depend on the security situation, which as per the new Constitution remains the role of the national government. Even as the county governments take-off, leaders in these areas are crying over insecurity, calling upon the government to contain banditry.

Last week for example, eight MPs raised the red flag over increasing insecurity in Turkana County.  The legislators, led by Turkana County Women Representative Joyce Emanikor, demanded for immediate government’s intervention and noted residents lived in fear since gangsters had taken over most parts of the county.

Ms Emanikor said close to 40 people had been killed in the county in the past month by raiders. She appealed to the government to deploy adequate security personnel to deal with the menace.

The MPs told journalists that some of the raiders are said to have come from as far as Ethiopia and South Sudan.

Loima West MP Protus Akuja claimed local security personnel were sending more officers to guard the oil fields.

Isiolo North MP Joseph Lomwa, John Lodepe (Turkana Central), Christopher Nakuleu (Turkana North), Nicholas Nikor (Turkana East) and Nicholas Ngikor (Turkana East) were at the press briefing.