The unique stones of Kapedo tell a story of past glory

Kapedo village has been in the headlines countless times for insecurity, most notably for the massacre of 22 policemen in 2014.

The village located in Turkana East Sub County however derives its name from the huge stones that spread across the plains.

The rocks sit conspicuously by the valley in Kapedo, and though they seem like part of what forms the hills of Turkana East Sub County, to the villagers here the rocks are much more than what meets the eye; to them it’s the basic, the foundation of being, the origins they say of a name.

A unique brown 4-metre high stone with two wide holes in it with something like a horn protruding facing Silale Hills.

The stone lying by itself at the plains of Silale, 1 kilometre from Kapedo Centre by the roadside on your way to Chemolingot.

According to residents, the Turkanas and Pokots used to live harmoniously while engaging in trade in Kapedo. The market was located near the stone before it was moved to the current location a kilometer away. During the days of drought the two communities would both agree to take their animals to graze on the Silale Hills, which also a place for elders to pray.

The rock is now a symbol of a past relationship that thrived, many in the area wishing that the steps made so far to bring peace will take them back to the good old days when they lived like neighbors and change the current reputation of the area from a clashes hotspot to a market they both knew and treasured without conflict over its ownership.

By Emmanuel Cheboit