Insecurity: High number of orphans is the order of the day in Todonyang

By Lucas Ng’asike

The mention of Todonyang area in Lokitaung, Turkana North District arouses memories of misery.

The misery in this Northern part of the country has left many families in pain due to many counts of death and destruction by the Merille Militia men.

The militia from a neigbouring country has seen a number of families widowed or children orphaned due to a series of attacks.

The most worrying is the high number of orphaned children left behind after their parents were killed by the militia from Ethiopia.

For those who know Todonyang, it is a region with persistent conflicts that has made the area unfairly welcoming.

In Todonyang, death is the order of the day as Merille militia kill at will either for ritual purposes or just for fan. 

It is for this reason that one cannot be proud of Todonyang area despite the flourishing fishing business that fetches massive income annually.

Due to the conflicts, a number of residents have fled the area for fear of their lives. Many residents have been left homeless.

Difficult situation

A local resident, Osman Eleman says Merille militia target men to eliminate them along the shores of Lake Turkana so that they remain to dominate fishing activities.

Mr Eleman recounts how Merille militia ambushed a number of families who had crossed to Ethiopia for barter trade early last year where more than 40 Turkanas were killed.

“It is a difficult situation here. We can’t even go for fishing along the Lakeshores. The militia usually lay ambush to deter us from accessing fishing grounds,” Eleman says.

He says they solely depend on fishing to feed their families but the business has now been paralysed by militia threats. 

About 1,300 displaced families have found a camp in Lowarengak location about 25 kilometres away. 

Those who survived the killer bullet from the Merille militia remain to recount ordeals that left their lives in shambles.

A local cross border peace network coordinator Joseph Elim says the government must compensate for the lives of people killed by the Merille militia.

Hardest hit

“Why do we have a coalition government that has abdicated its responsibility of protecting its citizens? Where are we going to take these orphans who have been left destitute? The government must compensate families of those killed by militia,” Elim says.

Turkana North District Commissioner (DC) Albert Mwilitsa has decried high number of orphans in Todonyang area.

The DC equated the number of orphans in the area to a population that can start a school.

“We are in shock to learn that many children have been left destitute in the area following persistent conflicts along the Kenya-Ethiopia border,” says Mr Mwilitsa.

The DC says the hardest hit area with the highest number of orphans include Todonyang, Kokuro, Meyen, Liwan, Kibish Sasame and Napak areas in Turkana North district.

Mr Mwilitsa is appealing to well-wishers and charitable organisations to assist orphans in Turkana North district. 

The DC has praised well-wishers in Nandi -Lessos Educational Centre for supporting two orphans who were victims of Todonyang massacre.

The centre came to the aid of the two orphans after our sister publication; The Standard highlighted a story about the fate of orphans in the remote part of Turkana County.

The administrator says the militia group is a threat to peace in the area adding that there is an urgent need to deploy more security personnel along the border points.

Recently, the DC called for the deployment of Marine Police unit to Todonyang to forestall incursion of the militia.

Mr Mwilitsa says the militia vandalised Todonyang primary school, paralysing learning activities in the area.

Parents fled with their children to safer places after the only school that had supported learning in the area was vandalised.

Nightmare

Even with the presence of security officers who have been deployed to the ground to protect residents, the militia have ignored security presence and continued to attack residents and security officers. 

A few months ago, more than 300 heavily armed Merille Militia attacked Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU) security camp in Todonyang. They killed three officers and injured five others.

The DC says the task of enrolling orphans to school has turned to be a nightmare as militia continue to unleash terror to residents.