Turkana IDPs cry for help after bandits torched houses
Mr John Achuman in front of his house on August 21, 2022. It was destroyed by suspected bandits from neighboring West Pokot County.
More than 200 internally displaced persons (IDPs) are crying out for help after their houses in Kaalebu village, on the banks of River Malmalite in Turkana South sub-county, were torched by suspected bandits from neighbouring West Pokot County.
Their Chairman John Achuman said the bandits late last month raided their farms and killed one of them before embarking on a looting spree.
"They looted pipes, generators and seeds and harvested maize that had matured, leaving us with nothing. The resulting tension forced us to flee to nearby Loyapat village and we are hoping that peace and security will be restored," Mr Achuman told Nation.Africa.
He said they are victims of the 2007/2008 post-election violence from Kitale who had been settled in Lokichar town. For the past two years, he said, 200 of them had temporarily relocated to Kaalebu village to continue farming as they fended for their families.
Some of the houses inhabited by Internally Displaced Persons at Kaalebu village in Turkana South Sub County that were torched by bandits suspected to be from neighboring West Pokot County.
The victims said the bandits came back last week on a mission to completely force them out of the village by torching 150 grass-thatched houses and damaging 20 semi-permanent ones by removing iron sheets.
"I lost my two houses, a generator for pumping water from the river to my farm, pipes and maize produce on my one-acre portion to bandits," Mr Achuman said.
Pastor Josephine Akiru, whose house was also torched, said that they wanted to be self-reliant as they did not want to survive on relief food when they have farming skills.
"Our settlement at Lokichar can't support farming activities because it is rocky and without reliable water supply. We urge the State to beef up security at the borders so that we may go back to our farms," Ms Akiru said.
Mr John Ekunoit, another farmer, claimed that the bandits fear that the farms are on one of their escape routes and would interfere with their illicit activities.
The farmers also want a police camp established near farms for their safety and for swift coordination during cattle theft as they have established the area is an escape route for bandits.
