Uproar over insecurity in North Rift region as residents demand action

North Rift residents have demanded action over high insecurity in the region.

On Thursday, one person was reportedly killed by bandits at Kabel in Elgeyo Marakwet. A similar attack in which two people were killed in Baringo and Samburu by suspected bandits was reported last Sunday.

Aris Barkutwo, a resident of Kinyach lost his brother who was attacked while herding his goats. The bandits took away the goats.

Aris lamented that the government had failed to protect them from the bandits even after President William Ruto and his deputy Rigathi Gachagua were quoted in different sections of the media during the campaign period saying that banditry would be a thing of the past.

"My brother is now dead due to banditry attacks, we elected this government overwhelmingly hoping that they will understand our problems, but here we are, we are losing our loved ones every single day," he lamented.

John Kimurio, also a Kinyach resident said the government had ignored their plight.

"Are we children of a lesser God? Is the government really ready to handle this menace or is all they do is just talk? We are tired of waiting," he added.

Kimurio claimed the only solution to the banditry attacks is forceful disarmament. He said the residents are running out of patience and might be forced to also defend themselves.

Targok Kiptiony, 70, expressed disappointment in the way the government is handling the matter yet they voted for Ruto and Rigathi based on their commitment to ending banditry attacks in the region.

She said Ruto's government is yet to show any form of commitment to addressing historical injustices which they had pledged to act on once they were elected.

"If I recall how we woke up early in the morning to elect this government after injecting us with the hope that they will tackle this banditry makes me feel bad, our security officers are doing their best but again we need more," she said.

Justice Ekono from Turkana claimed the bandits are on a killing spree and are not scared of government threats. They raided a village the same day Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki toured affected counties.

Ekeno blamed the State over the escalating situation claiming it has just been issuing empty threats without much action just like its predecessor.

Ekeno advised the government to concentrate on developing the area as a long-term solution to solving the banditry.

He noted that the areas which are facing insecurity have been lagging behind in terms of development which should be prioritised.

Baringo North Member of Parliament Joseph Makilap complained that his constituency has been hit for a long time and that they are tired of the killing and losing livestock.

Makilap challenged the government to come up with a solution by enlisting NPR in the region or recalling the team from Marakwet.

"The Killing of my nephew on Sunday at Kobot village in Kinyach is a testimony that Marakwet NPRs are misusing government guns meant for protection," he said.

In 2021, during the presidential campaign, President Ruto, then deputy president promised the locals that if elected, banditry will be something of the past.

On November 13, last year during the interdenominational thanksgiving service at Kabarnet ASK showground, the president warned of tough security measures in the troubled North Rift.