Terror returns to Mt Elgon

By Robert Wanyonyi

Peace may have returned to Mount Elgon District, but as the residents begin to settle down, security officers in the area are beginning to get worried.

The routed members of Saboat Land Defence Force (SDLF) appear to be creeping back, taking advantage of the withdrawal of a substantial number of military officers from the troubled area.

And one man who is believed to be a major force behind the rag-tag militia, former police constable John Sichei Chemaimak, has resurfaced though he was believed to be dead.

The re-emergence of violent incidences in the region is an indication that the rag tag army may be regrouping.

Residents of Mt Elgon demonstrate to support the military.

Indeed, for the first time since the military started an operation in Mt Elgon on March 10, leaflets warning of fresh attacks were recently circulated in parts of Cheptais Division, sending residents into panic.

The leaflets read in part: "You thought you are safe but we, the SLDF and LRA, we are coming back! Where is your military? All the administrators from PC, DC, DO and Chiefs, we are coming back!" The name John Sichei Chemaimak appears at the bottom of the leaflets.

The circulation of the leaflets came at a time when about 650 people suspected to be SLDF members were set free by courts for lack of evidence.

And as late as last week, more incidents of security lapses were being witnessed in the district.

gunfire at a funeral

During a burial in Kapsokwony, mourners had to scamper for safety after a group of gunmen ambushed them and indiscriminately opened fire on the crowd. But quick action by officers from a nearby army outpost saved the situation.

Several residents were seriously injured and admitted in hospital.

Four of the suspects were arrested at Bugaa village and their four AK-47 rifles and several rounds of ammunition recovered.

So tense was the situation that a curfew was enforced on Kapsokwony town and its environs as police hunted down the militia.

On the same day, the law enforcers had to eject squatters who had invaded the controversial Phase three of the Chebyuk Settlement Scheme.

A day later, a teacher was ambushed at his home, beaten by about 12 SLDF members who had AK47 rifles and Sh18,000 stolen from him.

Barnabas Simotwo, the headmaster of Kaborom Primary School in Kaptama Division says the attackers, who identified themselves as SLDF members, promised to return.

George Makass, an area leader displays recent leaflets dropped by SLDF. [Photo:Banjamin sakwa/ standard]

Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Mt Elgon branch secretary Willy Songi Maasai says most of the teachers are yet to return to their schools.

"There are teachers who are currently receiving calls from SLDF members asking them to pay monthly protection fee. This is a big setback," he laments.

He says teachers are forced to pay between Sh2,000 and Sh5,000 monthly to SLDF members as protection fee, adding that four schools were yet to reopen by the time schools closed for December holidays.

Kopsiro District Officer, Sylvester Mwangulu says most of the former SLDF suspects who were released by the courts are turning out to be a threat in the area.

"Most of these suspects have been set free for lack of evidence. It has been a big challenge as some of them have gone back to grab Government land in the forest while others went back to the villages to threaten those they feel set them up for arrest," says Mwangulu.

Residents, who declined to be identified for fear of being attacked, confided to CCI that some of those released by courts for lack of evidence actually possessed sophisticated weapons and were planning attacks.

celebratory fire

"They have been re-grouping in some bushes. Every night they fire in the air in what they have come to refer to as celebratory fire," says a resident of Cheptais.

Moses Wefwafwa, a resident of Cheptais blames the recent spate of violence to SLDF suspects who were released by courts due to lack of evidence.

"Most of us are now staying in fear of being attacked again," he says.

Wefwafwa says that in just one week, suspected SLDF members forcefully took away 16 goats in Cheptais Division. The animals are taken by SLDF remnants as delicacies in caves high up in the mountains.

He says secret meetings involving regrouping members of the militia have been going on at night.

"In some meetings only those who were arrested and then released are allowed to attend. The conveners are very strict and never allow those they think didn’t suffer to attend," he says, adding that they could be planning revenge.

secret meetings

Wefwafwa says the militia members secretly meet at carefully chosen areas from around 6pm and proceed late in the night. He says at night the militias fire in the air further scaring residents.

A village elder at Emia Location who requested anonymity says reports of people meeting at night have reached him adding that he has documented all the incidents and forwarded them to security agents for further action.

"It’s true that some youths have been practicing with some weapons," says the elder.

Further investigations by CCI established that four new SLDF commanders may be on a secret recruitment mission in the district. Residents identified those recruiting fighters as Brazil, Nimo and Kirui.

Another person identified as Rashid who is also believed to be among the new SLDF commanders, was arrested last week after being trailed by the law enforcers.

"The Government must take Sichei’s threats seriously because this is a man who does what he says. We have stayed with him for years and we know him better," says George Makass, a former Mt Elgon County Council Chairman.

Two weeks after Sichei’s warning, military officers engaged in a gunfight with suspected remnants of the SLDF near the Kenya-Uganda border. Five people were killed while six others escaped.

Four AK-47 rifles, several rounds of ammunition and a grenade were recovered.

Before making his dramatic reappearance, Sichei was believed to have been dead. Police believed they killed him at the beginning of the operation early this year in Trans-Nzoia District.

During an interview with CCI, Sichei, who deserted duty in August 2006 while working as a police constable at Vihiga Police Station, said he was recruiting members.

"The world must now understand that I am the real commander of the Sabaot Land Defence Force. Matwakei was only the deputy commander and killing him did not shake my command at all," Sichei said.

new militia groups

The 42-year-old militia leader said he was in the process of arming his group and that five more militia groups under his command were active in Mt Elgon.

"I am not going to allow any resident of Mt Elgon to suffer and soon I am going to order the disarmament in all police stations in the area," he bragged.

Sichei said four other groups, which include; Baghdad, Moorland Defense Force, Fagilia and the Sabaot Land Patriotic Army, had been formed for this purpose. He said the groups were being formed to create a new-look SLDF.

Those SLDF commanders still in custody awaiting their cases include the group’s former spokesman John Kanai, Moses Chemosit alias Mkombozi, deputy leader Stephen Juma alias Besigye and the militia’s Judge identified as Kamaliza. Kanai was captured in Uganda while Mkombozi, Besigye and Kamaliza surrendered to military officers.

Western Provincial Commissioner Abdul Mwasera says Sichei is no longer a threat to peace in the district. He says the former police constable should surrender unconditionally.

"What he should know is that we are zeroing in on him and we won’t relent until we make sure that we have him, together with any other suspects," he says.

The administrator revealed that the search for the fugitive, has reached an important stage and it would be premature to go into finer details now.

"This is sensitive security information and we would not like it to be treated casually. We are dealing with an issue that is so delicate for now but soon, we will get to its root cause," he says.

"Those with funny plans aimed at destabilising the area are hereby warned that our security apparatus are alert and will have them arrested immediately. The people of Mount Elgon have been through a lot and we will ensure that evil minds are removed from their midst," warns Mwasera.

He says the Government has disbursed Sh44 million towards the resettlement exercise in the area and he had directed the local provincial administration to commence a series of peace meetings aimed at preaching peaceful co-existence between former warring communities.