Leaders want ministry of North Rift formed to handle insecurity

Leaders from cattle rustling prone areas in the North Rift led by their chairman governor Benjamin Cheboi of Baringo County (centre) address the press in Eldoret yesterday, where the called on the government to urgently establish a substantive ministry to address the on going cattle rustling and border conflicts that has claimed lives of innocent Kenyans. 10.05.2015. [PHOTO/Peter Ochieng/STANDARD]

Leaders from the cattle rustling and banditry-prone areas in the North Rift now want the Government to urgently establish a substantive ministry that will exclusively address the challenges affecting the region.

Leaders from Turkana and Baringo counties who convened a crisis peace meeting yesterday in Eldoret said a functional ministry should be instituted.

They said previous efforts and forums convened both regionally and nationally to curb the insecurity have not borne any fruit.

The meeting and demand comes hot on the heels of attacks in Lomelo, boarder between the two counties that has left over 68 people dead in its trail.

They also called for cattle rustling menace to be declared a national disaster and be treated with the seriousness it deserves.

"We leaders of Baringo and Turkana counties call upon President Uhuru Kenyatta to establish the Ministry of North Rift Pastoralist Affairs in order to address the challenges affecting the region," said Baringo Governor Benjamin Cheboi who read an eight point resolution after the meeting.

Mr Cheboi said the ministry's role will be to entirely address the challenges affecting the pastoralist communities in the country especially cattle rustling and banditry.

He noted that previous disarmament efforts have proved futile and lives continue to be lost on a daily basis.

"We have seen such initiatives work in Uganda where the government established a ministry to deal with insecurity issues brought about by cattle rustling in Karamoja state. We believe that if such ideas are replicated, then our issue will be solved," said Cheboi.

The leaders also want the President to convene an urgent meeting bringing together all political leaders from the pastoralist communities in the North Rift region to help address the deteriorating security situation.

"Security is entirely a function of the national government and we cannot wait anymore yet lives are being lost. Unless there are concerted efforts to bring to an end this retrogressive culture of cattle rustling, we will lose more lives," he said.

Turkana Senator John Munyes, MPs Asman Kamama (Tiaty), Chris Nakulei (Turkana North), Nicholas Ngikor (Turkana East), James Lomenen (Turkana South) and several members of county assembly (MCAs) from the two counties also attended the meeting and pledged to support peace efforts saying it was their obligation as leaders.

"The Government should declare cattle rustling a national disaster because it has reached unprecedented levels. The matter has not been treated with the seriousness it deserves and we see it as more than terrorism," said Mr Munyes.

Senator Munyes added that banditry was also taking toll on the region's economy and called on an enhanced security patrols to ensure there is smooth passage of people and goods.

"We shall conduct joint peace meetings in the region as leaders because we are tired of this culture of cattle rustling. The region has been condemned to poverty because no school is operating there," noted Mr Kamama.

The leaders accused the Government of using reactionary tactics to approach the insecurity issue in the region and called for more deployment of Kenya Police Reservists (KPR) saying they are the only ones who come in handy during attacks.