Tight security after raid claims at Lorogon

By Lucas Ng’asike and Wilberforce Netya

Turkana/West-Pokot, Kenya: Security has been tightened along the disputed Turkana-Pokot border following allegations that a group of heavily armed Pokot raiders had crossed from neighbouring Uganda to reinforce their kin at the Turkwel Power Plant.

Intelligence sources said they had reports of an impending attack by suspected Pokot militia at Lorogon village and the General Service Unit Security camp at Turkwel gorge in which a senior Pokot politician is linked to the plot.

A security source further said that more than 300 heavily armed Pokot raiders had crossed the Kenya border towards West Pokot Hills to stage a decisive assault against Turkana locals at Lorogon village, which has been in dispute between the Turkana and Pokot communities.

The Pokot community have laid claim to Lorogon and Turkwel gorge power plant and want the Turkana community moved out of the area.

For the past one week, there has been a siege at Lorogon village in Turkana South District after heavily armed Pokot militia surrounded the village in an attempt to flush out the Turkana community from the area.

Turkana South Sub County Commissioner Elijah Kodoh confirmed the intelligence report, saying they were on high alert on the impending attack by suspected Pokot militia.

“We are fully aware of the intelligence alert that some suspected militia have crossed from the neighbouring country to reinforce their kin in order to attack the villagers. We have placed our security machineries on high alert to secure the region from further incursions,” Mr Kodoh said.

Armoured choppers

He said they had deployed armoured choppers and security personnel to take control of the area to restore peace and calm along the volatile Turkana-Pokot border.

The sub county administrator said security personnel had cleared the barricaded road leading to Lorogon village and Kenya Red Cross Society had delivered relief food to residents who had gone hungry for a week.

Kodoh said they received a report three days ago that a group of armed Pokot raiders had crossed from the neighbouring Uganda to stage an offensive against Turkana locals at Lorogon village. He slammed senior politicians in West Pokot for allegedly inciting the community.

Demonstrators

At the same time, hundreds of Pokot residents in the Turkwel region along the disputed border of West Pokot and Turkana counties yesterday demonstrated over the administration of Lorogon village from the Turkana side.

The residents who held peaceful processions protested regarding escalating insecurity in the area, which they said was aggravated by the administration of Lorogon from Turkana allegedly supposed to be under West Pokot.

Villager, Roselyn Lopokilim, who led the group of demonstrators, asked the government to urgently intervene to ease tension in the area.

She urged the government to make a clear demarcation at the boundary of the two counties to prevent more conflicts that have claimed over 15 lives from assailants who storm neighbouring villages and maim residents.

The demonstrators who carried placards further complained that Lorogon village was a hideout for criminals who committed heinous acts against people.