Pokot leaders protest at 'skewed' deployment of Kenya Police Reservists
Pokot leaders, led by Pokot South MP David Pkosing, address the media at Parliament Buildings in Nairobi on 28 November over the alleged killing of three civilians by KDF officers.
Leaders from West Pokot County have protested against the skewed deployment of Kenya Police Reservists (KPRs) to combat banditry in the North Rift region.
Addressing the press at the Parliament Buildings in Nairobi on Tuesday, the MPs said the skewed distribution of NPRs had left the Pokot community vulnerable to bandit attacks.
The MPs, led by Pokot South MP David Pkosing, Samuel Moroto (Kapenguria), Titus Lotee (Kacheliba), Peter Lokachapong (Sigor) and county Woman Representative Rael Aleutum, said they had raised the matter with President William Ruto in their meeting last month, who assured them of action, but nothing has been done so far.
"We have followed all channels by meeting the authorities including going to State House where the President assured us that Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki would address the issue of inequality but a month later, the CS has never met us and our people are suffering," said Mr Pkosing.
Mr Pkosing said the Pokots were exposed to attacks because all neighbouring communities had received NPRs while they had been left out.
"Other communities attack the Pokots but when they retaliate, the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) officers are sent to deal with them. We want to ask if we are all Kenyans and if the law should serve us equally," said Mr Pkosing.
"Let all communities get NPRs equally or let them all be denied because all Kenyans deserve protection from their government," Mr Pkosing added.
The MPs claimed that most of the Pokot people had been injured and even killed by the KDF. The injured, who they put at 20, are admitted to Kapenguria Hospital while others have been referred to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital.
"It is a shame that people who have been given the responsibility to protect the lives and property of Kenyans have turned against their own," said Mr Moroto.
Mr Lokachapong said that despite the President's directive, CS Kindiki is yet to convene a meeting with West Pokot leaders to address the insecurity in the region.
"It is a shame that people who are supposed to be maintaining peace are the same people who are harassing innocent people. We are in no way protecting thieves or bandits but we want the law to be applied equally," said Mr Lokachapong.
Mr Lotee said that whenever they raise the issue of insecurity in the region, they are accused of incitement.
"We are ready to be summoned by any authority to record statements so that we can provide the information about the insecurity in the region," Mr Lotee said.
The MPs now want the government to pay all the hospital bills of those hospitalised in Kapenguria and to compensate the families whose relatives were killed.
The leaders also called on the government to provide the Pokot with NPRs to protect them from bandit attacks.
