Turkana leaders advocate for a-10-year KDF takeover of volatile regions

Turkana leaders led Senator John Munyes (centre), Turkana East MP Nicholas Ng’ikor (right) and James Lomenen of Turkana South (left) address the press in Eldoret. [PHOTO: PETER OCHIENG/STANDARD]

ELDORET: Turkana county leaders led by senator John Munyes want the government to establish a 10 year peace programme between warring communities in a bid to end the constant killings in the affected regions.

The leaders who spoke during a press conference in Eldoret Monday said the killings of innocent persons and security officers in Kapedo area in Turkana East was worrying and an indicator that the bandits had overpowered police.

Munyes said the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) is ideal in enforcing the 10 year cohesive programme by collecting illegal arms that are currently held by locals.

Munyes in reference to how the Uganda government tackled the situation, the only solution is for the President to let Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) take over the areas for a period of ten years

"President Yoweri Museveni ended the border conflict that was previously persistent after the intervention of security personnel that ran for over five years, the only solution is for the President to let Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) take over the areas for a period of ten years in a bid to pacify the area by mopping out illegal arms as a long term activity," added Munyes.

He added that the programme ought to be community centred where they are empowered to give vital information to the security officials on individuals who practice banditry and hand them over for disciplinary measures.

"After the programme, the locals from both communities will be able to live harmoniously and assist in the improvement of the GDP which is currently at risk," He added.

Speaking separately on phone, Governor Josphat Nanok called on the government to intervene on humanitarian aid on conflict prone areas.

He said locals at Kapedo centre did not have food supplies because the roads connecting the region were impassable due to fear of attacks from bandits.

"We cannot access the bandit ridden area, we have food in Lokori but there is no way we can deliver it to the local who are suffering from hunger, thirst, in fact medical facilities in the area have run out of drugs and this pose a more serious danger to our people," said Nanok.

Turkana South MP James Lomenen said the government should deal firmly against perpetrators of the on-going attacks.

He said KDF ought to be sent to the areas prone to attacks and should not be withdrawn even when calmness returns in a bid to create a lasting solution to the problem.

"The government should conduct an operation that will disarm all communities and those behind it arrested and charged because the government should not wait until over 1000 officers are killed in order to act," he stated.

On the boundary issue which has also been seen by leaders as one of the reasons for the killings, Lomenen called on the government to conduct land survey on Turkana, Pokot, Baringo and Samburu in order to ascertain the truth.

"There are 20 hotspots in the regions currently marred with killings and the government has the solution at hand, we are just waiting for them to act swiftly in order to prevent more deaths of civilians," he added.