Nkaissery Accused Of Failing To Tame Banditry

Baringo County Assembly Speaker William Kamket accused Nkaissery and the national government of doing very little to address the prolonged cattle rustling that has claimed lifes of many innocent herders and residents of the pastoral regions.

Kamket, who appeared on Citizen TV’s Power Breakfast show, said that the government has neglected pastoral communities forcing them to illegally acquire firearms to protect their livestock.

He pointed out that the recent banditry attacks in the various pastoral areas have been a result of ‘under’ policing by the national government.

“There has been absence of government in the pastoral regions such as Baringo, Laikipia, Samburu, Turkana and a larger part of North Eastern Kenya,” said Kamket adding that “this has been one of the greatest contributors to the ever rising cases of insecurity.”

The Baringo County Speaker further accused the government of failing to help pastoralists retrieve their animals once a banditry attack and subsequent theft occurs.

KAPEDO ATTACK

“Once animals have been stolen, there is no goodwill from the national government to ensure that these animals are pursued and surrendered back to the owners.”

Kamket noted that the Kapedo banditry attack that left 19 police officers dead and several other injured would have been prevented if regular patrols are carried out in the area.

“The Kapedo attack, in particular, could have been prevented. However, this was not possible because of the poor policing and distribution of officers in the area,” he added.

Kamket, who comes from the minority Pokot community, said that the warring communities in Baringo, Samburu, Laikipia and Turkana counties are ready to settle their differences peacefully and abandon cattle rustling but political interference has made this difficult.

“The residents of Baringo, Pokot, Turkana, Samburu and Laikipia are ready to reconcile and abandon these cattle rustling activities but they need a lot of guidance and goodwill from the national government and political leaders.”

On his impeachment, the Baringo county assembly speaker accused political leaders from the area, especially Members of Parliament of being behind his tribulations.

He warned that such politics will stall the development agenda of the county to the disadvantage of the citizenry.