Laikipia, Baringo, Samburu new leaders meet over insecurity

A section of leaders from Laikipia, Samburu and Baringo Counties and security agencies on Wednesday, August 8 held a meeting in Nyahururu Town to discuss and deliberate on better ways of solving the perennial insecurity menace pitying the communities living in the region.

In a meeting geared towards addressing critical issues that are believed to be the root cause of banditry attacks in the region, the leaders – who include Laikipia Governor Ndiritu Muriithi, Laikipia West MP-elect Patrick Mariru and Samburu West MP-elect Naisula Lesuuda – discussed among other things grazing land for pastoral communities in the counties, food security, water and land issues.

The North Rift region has been marred with a series of banditry attacks, with the government, earlier this year, resolving to deploy Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) soldiers in Baringo, West Pokot, and Samburu Counties to contain the situation.

The leaders have vowed to work together in ensuring that order has been restored in the volatile region, including rolling out development projects like provision of water and fodder crops to farmers, improving education so as people would not entirely rely on pastoralism for source of livelihood as well as abandoning archaic cultural practices like cattle rustling.

“There is no way that we can achieve development in the three counties if peace does not prevail. That is why we have vowed to work as  a team with all elected leaders so that we can restore peace that has evaded the area for a very long time,” said Governor Muriithi.

Lesuuda called upon the National Government to increase security officers in the region, as well as equipping the police reservists in the critical areas.

“I also urge the government to improve the infrastructure including roads, hospitals, and even factories to cater for the unemployed youth to be busy and not engage in criminal activities,” said Lesuuda.

During the burial of the late Laikipia Senator, G G Kariuki, Baringo Senator Gedion Moi, advocated for a special committee consisting of members from all the communities affected by the bandits menace to sit down and craft a lasting solution once and for all.

“I want to tell people of Laikipia who are our neighbors in Baringo. We, as leaders of the North Rift region, will meet soon to come up with a solution so that we don’t kill each other any how,” said the Senator.