Mt Elgon leaders dismiss links to militia group

By DANIEL PSIRMOI

Kenya: Two leaders from Mt Elgon have come out to defend themselves against allegations contained in the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) report.

They said the report failed to capture the real issues facing the community and instead focused on the 2006-2007 Sabaot Land Defence Forces (SLDF) mayhem.

Speaking separately to The Standard, the current area MP John Serut and immediate former legislator Fred Kapondi, who have been adversely mentioned in the report, have denied being linked to the SLDF militia as captured in the report.

The report alleges that Serut and Kapondi were directly linked to the militia as it is claimed they were involved in financing, planning and instigation of the violence witnessed in the area.

Serut said there was no way he could be linked to the SLDF group as he was the major victim of the acts of brutality by the group and he suffered the brunt of it all.

“How do I come in? When in fact I was the victim? I lost over five close relatives, including my two blood brothers. On August, 4 2007 there was even an attempt to kill me by the group in Kamuneru area, after a hand grenade was lobbed in a meeting I was attending. Can a militia group kill its boss and financier as claimed, even his close family members?” He posed, and added he would like to face his accusers in court.

Kapondi rubbished the report noting there was nothing substantive in it and claimed it was based on hearsay.

“It is basically narratives,” he said.