Rift Valley elders' wish list to Kibaki unveiled

By Vitalis Kimutai

President Mwai Kibaki held a two-and-half hours meeting with Kalenjin leaders during which a number of issues were discussed and agreed upon before he addressed a peace rally at Eldoret’s 64 Stadium.

The meeting held at the Eldoret West District Commissioner’s residence on Friday brought together 500 leaders from various communities, who included 60 MPs and 200 councillors. Kalenjin Council of Elders chairman Maj (rtd) John Seii and Kikuyu Council of Elders chairman Albert Githuku spoke on behalf of their communities at the meeting.

"We have resolved to unite our communities and convene reconciliation meetings across the province for the sake of unity of the current and future generations," Seii said.

He said all the communities, which had been affected by violence, had agreed to bury their differences.

Githuku said there was need for the Government to support peace efforts initiated by the elders and clergymen at the grassroots to find a lasting solution. "We are appealing for moral, material and financial support from the Government as we seek to further our agenda now that we have political goodwill for peace efforts," Githuku said.

Internal Security Minister George Saitoti said the issues raised by the elders would be addressed, as the Government was keen on cementing relations between communities in the province.

Prof Saitoti said the IDPs problem would be sorted out starting from next week, as the Government wanted the matter addressed once and for all.

Rift Valley PC Mohamed Warfa was the master of ceremonies in the first session while Eldoret North MP William Ruto took charge in the second session.

Mosop MP David Koech, who is the secretary of the Rift Valley Parliamentary Group, read and gave a memorandum to the President on behalf of the region’s leaders.

In the memorandum, the leaders demanded resettlement of post-election violence victims still in internally displaced persons camps.

Among the roads whose construction the President said would be undertaken immediately included Mosoriot–Chepterwoi, Nyaru-Kapsowar, Chepkoilel-Kitale, Eldoret-Kitale-Kapenguria-Lodwar-Nandapal, which connects Kenya and Southern Sudan.

The leaders also appealed to the Government to raise the price of a 90kg bag of maize to Sh2,300 from the Sh1,800 and reduce the cost of fertiliser from Sh3,700 to Sh2,000. They also wanted the pyrethrum sector revamped and the Pyrethrum Board of Kenya be reconstituted.

The IDPs to be resettled include families evicted by the Government from Mau, Embobut and Kipkurere forests to pave the way for rehabilitation of the forests.

Eldoret North MP William Ruto said members of the Kalenjin community had resolved to work with other Kenyans to foster peace and development in the region.

The MPs picked to spearhead the process are Margaret Kamar, Nderitu Mureithi, Fred Kapondi, Joseph Kiuna, Zakayo Cheruiyot, Peris Simam, Moses Lessonet, Boaz Kaino and John Muthuto.