Two chiefs interdicted, 40 police officers to be disciplined

Two chiefs have been interdicted, while 40 police officers are facing disciplinary action after they were accused of abetting land clashes in Marakwet East.

Four other chiefs are also in the process of interdiction for the same offence.

Elgeyo Marakwet County Commissioner Ahmed Omar said the chiefs and police officers have fuelled conflict in the sub-county, leading to several deaths and destruction of property.

“The chiefs and police officers have been leaking information to their respective clans about government efforts to quell the land clashes. They have also been among the planners of the attacks on their rival clans and in some instance ambushing police officers responding to distress calls,” said Dr Omar.

The administrator said the officers have been aligning themselves with the clans and providing security to the raiders.

“The chiefs are culpable of hiding criminals within the villages instead of volunteering information that would lead to their arrest. All the police officers in question are born within the Marakwet community and are serving in the same area,” he said.

Tension continues to escalate in the area, following land ownership disputes involving several clans. Hundreds of families have been displaced by the disputes.

Marakwet always witnesses inter-clan skirmishes during rainy seasons mostly between March and June.

Some of the clans that have been feuding for decades include Kapsiren and Kabisyoi, Ketut and Kasagur, Kasegei and Katemuge, Karel and Kapkaw, Kabasiran and Kapkeny.

On Friday last week, one person was shot dead after fights broke out between two warring clans.