Could Baringo Killer Banditry Attacks Contain Traces of Politics?

Marigat-based youthful Community leader Festus Kipchumba was today Wednesday summoned by Directorate of Criminal Investigation(DCI) in Marigat, Baringo South.

Allegedly besides 'mobilizing' members of public to protest against ongoing spat of killer bandit attacks, he's further claimed to have made inflamatory utterances that incited warring communities to fight.

"I was summoned by DCI for questioning and locked up amid anti-banditry protests although I failed to really understand the exact cause, but I could read some traces of politics" Kipchumba said. 

So far government has kept mum despite the bloodshed that has recently caused loss of at least 20 lives including family members, women, elderly, physically challenged and innocent children and teachers along the volatile Kerio Valley, especially Baringo North.

Kipchumba said he, although he doesn't support any political affiliation on matters security, earlier posted on social media disapproving those people who thought former Senator Gideon Moi could have been the machinery behind banditry and that he slept on the job and failed to address persistent challenge of insecurity.

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"I just thought it is about time elected leaders of Baringo should put the government on toes to help quell the deadly banditry once and for all, little did I know I was marked and could one time like today be called for questioning" he said. 

He said as a law-abiding citizen he heeded to the summon and went straight to Marigat police station where he was then locked up behind bars for close to five hours. 

"I was held up and released later when majority of protestors who had turned up to match on a planned peaceful demonstration, already lost patience, surrendered and left" Kipchumba said. 

Furthermore, despite the resurgence and continued kiling of innocent people, top county elected leaders have remained speechless, none of them even showed up to backup the hopeless locals. 

Even H.E President Dr. William Ruto has also kept quite over the matter, leave alone securing time within his busy schedule to visit the battlefields. Only Interior Cabinet Secretary Kindiki Kithure has made several frantic visits with a handful of yet-to-be-fullfilled promises.

Elsewhere in Kabarnet town, Baringo North's Barwesa ward MCA Josphat Lokorio (AKURO) was today arrested by police for joining thousands of peaceful demonstration against banditry.

"I was just presenting the plights of the speechless but suffering locals but unfortunately the men in uniform arrested and frogmatched me to Kabarnet police station" Lokorio said.

Earlier on, Baringo County Commissioner Stephen Sangalo Kutwa warned locals and politicians against inciteful statements.

"Anybody caught up shall be arrested and face full force of the law" Kutwa said.