Politicians fuelling Laikipia clashes, leaders say

Leaders from Samburu County have accused their colleagues of fueling community clashes in Laikipia County for political mileage ahead of the 2017 General Election.

Samburu West MP Lati Lelelit, Samburu Governor Moses Lenolkulal and Samburu County Assembly Speaker Steve Lelegwe, said they would not tolerate seeing residents of Laikipia County being intimidated and harassed by their neighbours.

Governor Lenolkulal said efforts made by some politicians to gain political mileage and win votes in next year’s general elections, in addition to land ownership are the main causes of conflict in the county, noting: “We will not allow our people to be victimised because of land ownership and politics. We are closely watching”.

On his Part, MP Lelelit asked the government to intervene and ensure security for all citizens regardless of their ethnicity.

“We know that communities living in Laikipia County have no differences among themselves, but there are a few politicians who don’t want to see people from a certain community there,” he said.

Lelelit said there is no community that would be evicted from Laikipia County, as it is the right of every Kenyan to live anywhere within the country as per the constitution.

The legislator urged communities including Samburu, Turkana and Pokot living in Laikipia County to coexist peacefully as neighbours.

This comes barely a week after Laikipia North MP Matthew Lempurkel was arrested and charged after he allegedly assaulted nominated MP Sarah Korere following a bitter exchange of words over insecurity in the region.

“Laikipia County cannot and will not be led by militia,” a bitter Sarah Korere was quoted as saying during a recent address to members of her constituency.

Ms Korere accused her counterpart Mr Lempurkel of orchestrating the clashes in the region.

The MP, on the other hand, accused Ms Korere of being unable to lead the constituency during her tenure.

According to sources, the rivalry between the two escalated a fortnight ago after Ms Korere expressed interest in the post currently held by Mr Lempurkel.

Mr Lempurkel was later released on a Ksh100,000 cahs bail or bond of Ksh200,000 with a surety of a similar amount. The case will be mentioned on December 5, 2016.