Leaders Embark on Peace Caravan to End Banditry in North Rift Region

This is in a bid to foster peace and co existence among pastoral communities that have in the past been marred by massive loss of life resulting from intercommunity attacks and banditry.

The leaders drawn from West Pokot, Turkana, and Baringo and Samburu counties are convening at Nasal in Kacheliba Constituency, before heading to Lorengkip in Turkana County where they aim to reconcile the warring Pokot and Turkana communities.

The peace caravan is the brainchild of more than 15 political leaders who initiated the caravan after talks with President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto to end killings in pastoral communities.

The leaders said its time for the communities to embrace peace and stop killing each other over boundary conflicts and cattle rustling.

OUTDATED CULTURAL PRACTICES

The leaders, led by the chair of the Parliamentary Security Committee Asman Kamama, include Governor Simon Kachapin (West Pokot),Benjamin Cheboi (Baringo), Josephat Nanok(Turkana), Senator John Lonyangapuo and more than 10 MPs and Women representatives drawn from the three counties.

The government delegation is being led by Rift Valley Regional Coordinator Osman Warfa and a security team for the counties, together with elders from Pokot and Turkana communities.

The leaders were urging communities to leave the outdated cultures that have undermined development in the pastoral communities and instead embrace peace and education.

They regretted that despite the region being marginalised for a long period, the communities still have not embraced peace coexistence to fast-track development.

CONDEMN BANDITRY

Kamama said the leaders have agreed to preach peace and condemn those involved in banditry.

He added that unless the communities embrace peace, devolution will be a waste of time for them since governors cannot undertake meaningful development if there is no peace.

Kacheliba MP Mark Lomnokol also urged the government to increase development allocation to marginalised areas as part of affirmative action, arguing that under development is one of major cause of insecurity in the region.

West Pokot Senator John Lonyangapuo asked the communities to stop fighting over a boundary since the matter is being handled by the national government.

Governors Simon Kachapin, Benjamin Cheboi and Josephat Nanok also promised to allocate more funds to facilitate security operations and peace activities to ensure the communities co exist.

West Pokot Governor Simon Kachapin further called on the government to solve the boundary disputes among pastoral communities, which remain a big challenge to insecurity.

The peace caravan is expected to continue for seven days as leaders move to convince the communities to stop banditry and cattle rustling.

By Wangui Ngechu