Cattle rustling menace in North Rift turns political as call for separation causes stir

Even as leaders in Baringo and West Pokot counties seek a lasting solution to the cattle rustling menace in the North Rift, the insecurity situation has taken a disturbing political dimension.

West Pokot Senator John Lonyangapuo’s statement that members of the Pokot community living in Baringo County had resorted to cattle rustling because they feel sidelined has brought to the fore underlying issues between the Tugen and Pokot communities.

Prof Lonyangapuo said he was preparing to table a petition in the Senate seeking to purge Tiaty sub-county to West Pokot in a move that, if successful, would see the more than 130,000 residents administered through Kapenguria, the headquarters of West Pokot County.

His sentiments were triggered by the impeachment of William Kamket, who was elected Speaker following a pre-poll power-sharing arrangement between the Tugens and Pokots.

Since his election as Speaker of the Baringo County Assembly, Kamket, a former journalist turned politician, has survived two impeachment motions and is currently facing incitement to violence charges at the High Court in Eldoret. The charges are related to the deadly September 2014 Kapedo attacks.

The motion to impeach the speaker arose from a petition signed by 210 residents of Arabal location of Baringo County and tabled by nominated MCA Valentine Sergon. It received overwhelming support from the county’s MCAs, with 37 of 40 voting in its support.

But two days later, Kamket moved to the Employment and Labour Relations Court in Nakuru County to challenge his ouster through the public petition. Justice Stephen Radido issued stay orders against his removal, pending hearing of a judicial review challenging his purported ouster.

Observers of Baringo politics, however, say Kamket’s troubles are self inflicted.

Simon Arap Namba, a commentator versed with the politics in South Rift, says Kamket should have been careful and stayed above the partisan local politics since he hails from the community that has issues with the Tugens.

“His bravado and chest thumping has brought him to where he is as is now the target of the antagonistic forces,” he said.

Bad blood

But Kamket says he is only a victim of political power play between the two communities and the mid-term political crisis has caught up with him.

“Although there was a power-sharing deal between communities to ensure ethnic balance in Baringo County, members of the assembly elected me on merit,” he told The Standard on Sunday.

According to Namba, it was not surprising that Kamket’s own kinsmen voted with majority of the Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) who wanted him removed.

“It’s apparent that those who sponsored him have washed their hands and do not want anything to do with him,” he said.

The Tugens have suffered under Pokot aggressors in a methodically unleashed rustling that has led to theft of animals and displacement of people. This has led to bad blood between the two communities, and it has been difficult for them to foster peace and development.

Lonyangapuo argues that the Tugen leaders continue to marginalise, harass and intimidate Pokots living in Baringo.

He cites the ongoing security operation to flush out Pokot herders, who have moved to parts of the county in search of pasture and water, as open hostility by the Tugen in Arabal, Baringo South. “This is now taking a new turn. Pokots are being blamed of causing conflict and their property destroyed,” he argues.

Lonyangapuo claims Governor Benjamin Cheboi has failed to address inter-communal problems and the region is lagging behind in development because of the perpetual conflicts.

“Baringo East is lagging behind, yet former President Daniel Moi improved infrastructure during his tenure. Some forces, because of their political ambitions, retarded the developments during other regimes,” Lonyangapuo says.

His views have attracted a lot of attention. Members from the two communities have reacted sharply, saying they were likely to escalate the crisis between the two tribes. But his argument has attracted the wrath of Baringo leaders who described his approach to the thorny insecurity issues as “casual”.

“Lonyangapuo commands a lot of respect from the Pokot tribesmen and he is recognised as the leader of the community by his people both in Kenya and Uganda. Therefore his word has been taken seriously by the people in Baringo County,” said Namba, a commentator versed with the politics of the South Rift region.

Baringo South MP Grace Kipchoim says Lonyangapuo’s intervention on the issues of another county was motivated by his future political ambitions. She asked the senator to keep off issues concerning Baringo because “there is no leadership vacuum” in the county.

Kipchoim, whose area has been adversely affected by banditry, says Baringo East is not marginalised. “It is a matter of fact that Baringo East District was created during the colonial era. Lonyangapuo’s indication that the region has been sidelined is a fallacy,” she says.

Political isolation

“No one will stand on their way if they root for separation. But let them know there are consequences to that.”

But Pokot South MP David Pkosing has come to Lonyangapuo’s support, saying the only way to absolve residents of East Baringo from “incitement by the government against them” was secession to West Pokot.

Pkosing says continued branding of the community as bandits and killers amounted to political isolation.

“The recent removal of the speaker (Kamket) is lined to his ethnicity. The exercise, although rescinded by the industrial court widened the gap between the Pokot and other Baringo residents,” says Pkosing.

Sigor’s Philip Rotuno was non-committal on leaving West Pokot, saying residents of Baringo East chose to remain in Baringo County during the boundaries review. “They (Pokot) chose to remain in Baringo. Saying they want to separate is inconsequential,” says the lawmaker.

Tiaty’s Asman Kamama believes Lonyangapuo’s proposal is a pipe dream.

“As the Tiaty leader, I have never been part of the team that calls for separation. I have worked hard to increase the number of schools so as to increase literacy levels. Let us all bring development projects in Tiaty than incite residents,” he says.

Grace Kiptui, the Baringo Woman Representative, has asked the senator to respect the people of Baringo and find ways of finding a lasting solution to insecurity.