West Pokot County Assembly reconvenes to discuss border insecurity

By WILBERFORCE NETYA

West Pokot, Kenya: West Pokot County Assembly cut short its recess to debate a motion on  rising insecurity at the border with Turkana County.

House Speaker Robert Katina certified the motion tabled by Siyoi Ward Representative Samson Lemale following clashes between armed groups at the border of the two counties as urgent.

While debating the motion, Members of the County Assembly members condemned the violence that erupted as a result of a boundary dispute and called for measures to end it.

Lemale told the House the skirmishes had led to loss of lives and made residents to flee their homes, and called on the county and national governments to bring the situation under control.

He cited Ombolion, Turkwel and Kasses as some of the most affected areas.

“Kerio Valley Development Authority, KenGen and Kenya Power  have expressed interest to set up irrigation and other income generating projects and we need to resolve the issue so that they can begin the programmes,” said Lemale.

Seger Ward Representative Thomas Ng’olesia, whose area of jurisdiction is the most affected, accused the government dragging its feet in ending insecurity in the area.