Rift Valley leaders now want KDF deployed to deal with bandits

Political leaders from the Rift Valley region are asking President William Ruto to order the deployment of military officers to Kerio Valley and other banditry prone parts of the country to restore normalcy and end the menace once and for all.

The leaders, among them Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot, also want comprehensive disarmament of all communities in the region, citing cattle rustling and banditry as retrogressive and criminal practices.

The leaders spoke during the homecoming and thanksgiving ceremony for Mogotio Member of Parliament Reuben Kiborek in Baringo County.

Baringo, Turkana and Elgeyo Marakwet counties have for years grabbed headlines for all the wrong reasons; banditry and cattle rustling.

The situation has been getting worse in the recent weeks, as bandits wreck havoc, leaving a trail of death, injuries and theft of livestock, depriving residents their economic lifeline.

Marakwest West MP Timothy Toroitich said: “There is a problem in Kerio Valley, it is being run by a militia. This government was elected to protect the lives and the property of the people, it is sad to note that the government has abdicated that responsibility.”

Kericho Senator Cheruiyot stated: “Hii mambo ya tunaambiwa ati kuna majeshi na wanalala barracks, sijui wanangojea vita nch gani...nataka kuambia rais wetu tafadhali amrisha hao majeshi wakuje Kerio Valley wapambane na hawa watu ambao wanaua watoto wa watu kila siku.”

Article 241, sub article 3C of the Constitution provide for the deployment of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) to restore peace in any part of the country affected by unrest or instability, but with the approval of the National Assembly.

“We want the military to be deployed in Kerio Valley, serikali through the office of the IG imeshindwa...hatutaki kuchukua sheria kwa mikono yetu, we still believe that this government will sort us,” added MP Toroitich.

The Kenya Kwanza team, while on the campaign trail in the run up to the August 2022 General Election, pledged to deal with finality the menace of banditry and cattle rustling, but the situation has remained a sticking issue for the national security organs.

“The best solution is full disarmament, with the ultimate support from each of us, to make sure that we get rid of all guns and we support Prof. Kithure Kindiki who is now sleeping in the bush dealing with banditry. It is time we put concerted effort to make sure that the military and the police hold hands together to get all illegal guns from people,” said CS Murkomen.

The political class and other influential persons have however been accused of fanning the banditry menace by financing and arming the criminals for commercial gain.

Emurua Dikirr MP Johana Ng’eno said: “It is time also we looked at the cause of all these problems that we’re facing in Kerio Valley. Lazima tukalishe viongozi ambao wanatoka hapo...because most of the problems are created by the leaders themselves.”

Senator Cheruiyot added: “We want a total disarmament so that mambo ya bunduki ibakie kwa mikono ya polisi pekee yake, na wale ambao kazi yao ni kulinda usalama. Anybody else arudishe ama apatane na sheria.”