Baringo leaders, security team meet as Matiang’i lifts curfew

From left, West Pokot Governor John Lonyangapuo,Rift Valley Regional coordinator George Natembeya and Baringo Governor Stanley Kiptis during a peace meeting at Lake Bogoria Spa and Resort in Baringo County on March 23, 2021 [Courtesy]

Baringo Senator Gideon Moi has said insecurity in the troubled Tiaty Constituency will only be addressed if local leaders are involved in solution finding.

Speaking at Lake Bogoria Spa and Resort, where Rift Valley Regional Commissioner George Natembeya and his security committee met locals and the clergy, Gideon urged the leaders to ensure they were trusted to spearhead peace initiatives and held to account.

“We have local leaders who are committed to peace-building. They should be given that role and the necessary support to address the underlying issues,” said the senator.

Gideon, who delivered a message from President Uhuru Kenyatta to the leaders, said he was confident a solution to insecurity in the region would soon be found.

“President Uhuru supports what you people are doing here and he is also committed to ensuring that any initiative to bring peace to the people of Tiaty succeeds,” said the Kanu chairman.

He thanked the leadership of Tiaty for striving to return peace to the area, adding that security in the area had significantly improved since 2017, as compared to the period between 2013 and 2017.

Gideon described the period between 2013 and 2017 as the worst since there were many attacks.

“The problem we realised between 2013 and 2017 was unbelievable. If you look at the statistics, the insecurity was unimaginable. The situation then and now is like day and night,” said Gideon, adding: “What is happening now are just sporadic attacks that the security agencies are addressing.”

Mr Natembeya convened the meeting aimed at finding a solution to the insecurity in the sub-county.

The meeting came just hours after Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i lifted the dusk to dawn curfew imposed on residents of Kapedo on January 25 due to insecurity.

Matiang’i said the curfew was imposed in view of the serious threats posed to security and public order, in addition to the threat posed by Covid-19 pandemic in Turkana East and Tiaty East and West.

The decision to impose curfew was reached following increased attacks by suspected bandits on locals and security personnel. Three police officers, including a senior General Service Unit (GSU) officer, were among those killed.

For eight weeks security personnel have been conducting an operation in the area to flush out the attackers.

Natembeya said leaders should be agents of change.

Baringo Governor Stanley Kiptis, West Pokot’s John Lonyangapuo and Senate Majority Leader Samuel Poghisio attended the meeting.

Mr Kiptis said local problems needed local solutions.

He said the peace issue in Tiaty Sub-county would be resolved when there is a combined effort between the national government and the local leadership.

MPs William Kamket (Tiaty), Mark Lomunokol (Kacheliba), David Pkosing (Pokot South) and Baringo Woman Representative Gladwell Cheruiyot also attended the meeting.

It is during the meeting that Natembeya directed a cease in the ongoing operation in the region for 30 days to give room for requests made by local leaders to sort out the issue of insecurity.

Kamket said as leaders they are happy that the curfew was lifted. He called on the government to allow them as leaders and Pokot community to take personal responsibility for the security.

He said they would traverse the entire region to preach peace.

Gideon said through education and other social interventions, the residents of the region would change mind-set.

“Education is the key to ending the issue of insecurity in the region and the government ought to support the local leadership,” he said.

The senator said after the 2017 General Election he held talks with the leadership of Tiaty and explained to them that their area was the richest and that they needed to unlock what God had given them.

“If we unlock what God gave to Tiaty we will have unlocked massive wealth for Baringo County and the people. We aggressively pushed for geothermal exploration and development, and there are other ventures ongoing,” he said.