How SLDF dragged my mother to her death

By ROBERT WANYONYI

Survivors of the dreaded Sabaot Land Defence Force (SLDF) in Mt Elgon shed tears as they narrated their ordeal.

Meeting for the first time at Chesikaki Primary School in Cheptais Division since the violence from the ragtag militia, more than 200 victims accused the Government of neglect, even after it promised help.

Mt Elgon residents and military officers look down a cliff where a suspected SLDF rebel fell at the height of the army operation to flush out members of the gang in 2008. [PHOTO: file/STANDARD]

Among them were relatives of the 15 people from the same family who were hacked to death and buried in a pit latrine by the SLDF militia on December 31, 2007 at the beginning of post-election violence.

"They came to our home during the day and took them away. My mother was dragged into the forest, pleading for mercy, but they refused to let her live. We later discovered her remains among the others in a pit latrine," narrated Mr Dickson Simiyu, a survivor of the attack.

He said he was at home with the relatives when the militia struck, but he fled to a nearby valley where he followed the proceedings.

Now, a born-again Christian, Simiyu said most survivors are yet to come to terms with the past due to lack of counseling or treatment.

A human rights organisation, Mwatikho Torture Survivors Organisation (Mateso) organised the event and is rehabilitating the victims and providing them with medical care.

"Most victims have suffered mentally and psychologically. We wonder why the Government has abandoned them," said Mwatikho Director Taiga Wanyanja.

He said they had contacted lawyers with a view to taking the victims’ case to court.

military operation

Mr Wanyanja said the victims’ quest for justice was frustrated by the legal system, since most militia members were freed due to lack of enough evidence.

"That is why we intend to document the cases afresh and hand them over to our lawyers," he said.

He said they would organise more similar events to help the victims start a new life.

During the 2008 military operation to flush out members of the killer gang, there emerged claims of the officers torturing the youth.

The military operation was dubbed ‘Operation Okoa Maisha, which residents initially supported.

But the residents later claimed women were raped during the joint operation by the Kenya Police and military officers.

Human Rights Watch accuse both the SLDF and the security personnel of killings, torture and rape of innocent residents.