Pokot Elders Laud President Ruto for Restoring Peace in Kerio Valley
They noted that peace has ushered in a wave of development in Pokot land never witnessed before.
Pokot Council of Elders has strongly appreciated President Dr. William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza administration for beefing up security along the once volatile Kerio Valley.
Led by Henry Losikiriatum from Churo in Tiaty, Baringo County, the elders said communities across the Rift Valley are now coexisting peacefully after decades of conflict.
"Us Pokot from Tiaty can now live peacefully with our neighbours," said Losikiriatum. The Pokot community borders the Tugen, Turkana, Samburu, Marakwet and Kikuyu communities in Baringo, Turkana, Elgeyo Marakwet, Laikipia and Samburu counties.
Losikiriatum said guns previously owned by bandits have gone silent courtesy of President Ruto’s government through Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen.
"Ruto's administration has indiscriminately applied a well organised and systematic approach which all pastoralists appreciate, by only picking notorious bandits with their illegal guns without disturbing any innocent citizens across the warring communities," he said.
He noted that peace has ushered in a wave of development in Pokot land never witnessed before. According to the elder, the Pokot community has never enjoyed lasting peace with its neighbours since Kenya attained independence in 1963.
"Banditry and unfruitful military operations were the order of the day, impacting badly on development and our relationship with our neighbours," he said.
Losikiriatum contrasted the current approach with previous regimes, saying Ruto's government has employed calculative, sophisticated and tactful ways of dealing with armed bandits.
He recalled that under previous administrations, lives of both innocent citizens and senior security officers were lost in Kapedo, at a time when some communities were assigned excess National Police Reservists while others were denied.
"NPRs were then used to raid other communities under the pretence of pursuing stolen livestock, listing exaggerated numbers of stolen livestock, and misusing security for business interests instead of pursuing the real culprits," he said.
He cited the burning of Ameyan market, Nakoko village, Chemolingot during the tenure of DC Mr Kirui, Chesakam, Tangulbei and Mukutani on the Tiaty side, Tot and several primary schools up to Komolion, which he termed as incitement.
He further alleged that during the tenure of former CS Fred Matiang'i and former Rift Valley Regional Commissioner George Natembeya, Pokot professionals were picked from a hotel in Chemolingot - among them an HR officer in Education, an IEBC officer, a headteacher, a medical student and two business people - taken to an unknown place and killed, while the former RC claimed they were bandits killed during a raid in Arabal.
"During Matiang'i and Natembeya's time, over 7,500 head of cattle belonging to Pokot were killed and more than 40 herdsmen lost their lives, including Tiaty professionals and leaders picked and killed. No investigation was done by that government," Losikiriatum said.
"They should not cheat Kenyans that they are saviours of this great country. Let President Ruto complete his two terms and we will continue keeping track of his record," he added.
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