Eight governors from the North Rift have warned increased cases of banditry will disrupt elections in parts of the region if the government does not intervene. In the last six months, bandits have killed 43 people in the Kerio Valley.
Speaking on their behalf, North Rift Economic Block chairman Jackson Mandago, who is also the Uasin Gishu governor, said the national government must urgently deal with the insecurity to avoid more killings and displacements: So far, more than 40,000 people have been displaced.
This comes shortly after the Elgeyo Marakwet assembly suspended its budget making process due to security concerns. Speaker Albert Kochei said they are unable to continue with public participation in five wards, which have been affected by the attacks.
Kochei said unless the insecurity problem is dealt with, all the development programmes in the county will stall.
“After consultations as an assembly, we have suspended the public participation meetings for the budget making process because we cannot leave out any part of the county,” Kochei said.
Kochei said President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto should not ignore the cries of the people of the Kerio Valley, whose lives have been endangered by the bandits.
“At times we wonder if there is a set target that are supposed to hit in terms of death so that the government can intervene on this matter and save our people from these bandits,” Kochei said.
Mandago, accompanied by Kapseret Oscar Sudi, called for investigations into the killings and arrest of those involved in perpetrating cattle theft in the region.
Sudi’s uncle was shot dead two weeks ago in a banditry attack.
Meanwhile, police have recovered the head of a man who was beheaded by bandits in Elgeyo Marakwet on Sunday. It was recovered at Chesongoch, more than 50km from where the man was killed. The bandits, suspected to be from Pokot, had escaped with the body, which was returned two days.
Marakwet East deputy county commissioner Erick Mulevu said the headless body of 60-year-old James Cheserek was recovered at the scene of the attack at Kaptora, Marakwet East. Mulevu said the body was taken to the Iten County Referral Hospital mortuary.