Samburu residents demonstrate against planned security operation

Residents of Lomirok area in Samburu County have held demonstrations condemning the national government of depriving them the constitutional right to elect their leaders by forcing them to vacate their villages.

The residents expressed the fear of harassment by government security agencies following the expiry of a two-day ultimatum to return stolen livestock from their neighbouring community.

Residents of Suguta Village have denied involvement in the said livestock theft that took place in December last year, and are now accusing the government of forcing them to abandon their homes to live in areas where IEBC voter registration centres are inaccessible, hence, denying them a chance to participate in the forthcoming August polls.

“We are living like birds of the air. We are forced to leave our village as voter registration exercise continues because of a government’s planned operation against us,” said Ng’eteri Kapua – one of the fleeing villagers.

They said they were expected to return the livestock by Saturday, January 21, for the government to cancel the operation in the area.

Christine Aragai, another villager, lamented their predicament saying she is on the run with her grownup children as the rest of Kenyans register to participate in choosing leaders of their own preference in the forthcoming General Election.

“We are not being registered as voters as other people across the country are registered as voters yet all of us are Kenyans. There is no a Sudanese here,” she quipped.

Nachola Ward Member of County Assembly (MCA), Lawrence Lorunye, said there is low voter registration turnout in his ward as people are fleeing from the planned operation to an unknown place.

“Senior government leaders are moving across the country telling people to register as voters as they talk of an operation in my ward,” he said.

He urged the president to ensure that voter registration exercise has taken place in all regions across the country.