Natembeya gives Kerio Valley residents one week to name bandits

Rift Valley Regional Coordinator George Natembeya has given Kerio Valley residents a one-week ultimatum to name bandits behind the fresh attack that led to the death of seven people and displacement of 200 others.

The administrator, who held a crisis security meeting with leaders and elders from Elgeyo Marakwet, West Pokot and Baringo counties at Tot trading centre, called for restraint as police pursue the bandits.

Mr Natembeya wants the community to expose the bandits, surrender the illegal arms and take their children to school in an array of measures he announced Wednesday.

“It should not be business as usual when few criminals continue to harass and kill innocent people, reversing gains made by the prevailing peace in the past two years,” said Mr Natembeya.

He said some professionals and politicians are fuelling banditry and cattle rustling.

Retaliatory attacks

“It is unfortunate that some politicians and professionals in some of these communities promote the retaliatory attacks as an act of heroism to gain fame. This must stop lest we arrest you and make you face the law,” he said.

Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Alex Tolgos cautioned against forceful disarmament. “Political inciters and those who fund cattle raids as a source of wealth must face the full force of the law,” he said.

Gender Chief Administrative Secretary Jebii Kilimo blamed underdevelopment, high poverty levels and illiteracy for the recurrent attacks.

“We need to come out clean and expose criminals behind the attacks. Protecting them will not do us any good. We need to end this culture of cattle raids once and for all,” she said.