Where do we go? Residents of troubled North Rift cry to govt

A serious humanitarian crisis is looming in areas targeted for the second phase of the ongoing security operation against bandits in counties declared dangerous and disturbed in the Kenyan North, after the government ordered residents on Sunday morning to vacate their homes in 24 hours.

The declaration by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki, while launching the second phase of the operation in Samburu county, sent panic in target areas ahead of the planned air operation to flush out armed criminals wreaking havoc in Baringo, Laikipia, Samburu, Turkana, West Pokot, and Elgeyo Marakwet counties.

By Monday morning, residents of some of the targeted areas had started streaming out of their homes to safer ground. In other areas, however, residents stayed put, saying they have nowhere to go.

The affected areas are Korkoron Hills and Tandare Valley in Baringo South and Silale Gorges in Tiaty East sub-county in Baringo County, Mukogodo Forest; Kamwenje, Warero, and Ndonyoriwo; Lekuruki Hills, Losos, and Kiape Caves and Sieku Valley in Laikipia County, believed to be hideouts for criminals and thousands of stolen livestock since 2021.

Others are Ltungai Conservancy, Longewan, Nasuur, Lochokia, and Lekadaar escarpments; Lolmolok Caves, Pura Valley, Malaso Escarpment and Suguta Valley in Samburu County and Kapelbok, Nakwamoru, Lebokat, Ombollion, Nadome and Kamur caves in Turkana County, as well as the Turkwell Escarpment at the interface of West Pokot and Turkana counties. 

Scenes of crime

The CS declared the areas as scenes of crime and announced that any person found there from 8:30am on Monday would be treated as a suspect of armed banditry, or as a suspect of aiding and abetting banditry. “Everyone must get out,” he said, in the message meant for law-abiding citizens.

In Samburu county, more than 300 people had Monday morning already moved out of their homes adjacent to Kur Kur and Ltungai, areas mapped as bandit hotspots.

A senior administrator in Samburu West told Nation that many families are camping at Loiborngare centre. "There could be a crisis because more are still coming here, and are lacking basic needs,” revealed the administrator who requested not to be named.

Across the affected areas, the operation is expected to disrupt learning, with hundreds of learners expected to stay away from school.

About seven schools were closed in the areas affected by banditry in Samburu. They include Pura, Lkeek Sapuki, Lorian, and Seepei primary schools, where learners did not report back when school, due to persistent bandit attacks. 

The areas affected are said to be infiltrated by armed bandits.

Many people are still moving out of their homes due to the sustained bandit attacks and the planned security operations.

Short notice

Frustrated locals have questioned the government's decision to order them to leave their homes within a short period, without providing alternative shelter and support.

"Where do we go? They did not tell us alternative places to go. This is a crisis," said Mr Samson Leina, from Samburu.

In West Pokot, more than 400 people, mainly women and children have migrated from four villages of the Turkwel belt region to safer places. 

In Silale, also targeted in Baringo, residents lamented that the government gave them short notice to vacate.

They were concerned that the exodus would paralyse learning in border schools, such as Riong’o, Akwichatis, Nasorot, and Nakoko primary schools.

“We fail to understand why the government gave short notice for locals to vacate the mapped areas in the name of looking for criminals. As we speak, we have nowhere else to go,” said Mr Symon Tuwot, a resident.

“The government has the names of the suspected criminals. Why should they treat the entire community as bandits instead of dealing with their targets? This is very wrong,” he protested.

Resettlement plans

Prof Kindiki did not mention resettlement plans for those affected in the suspected bandit-infested villages that security troops will be combing. 

"We will address that later. But for now, they have 24 hours to move out," the CS said on Sunday. 

According to the CS, the targeted areas harbour dangerously armed criminals who are holed up in the difficult-terrain, remote, and inaccessible areas at the bottom of gorges, escarpments, caves, ravines, hills, and forests.

In explaining the strategy, the CS said bandits had gone a notch higher by inviting civilians who could be their relatives to stay with them in their hideouts to act as human shields in the event of engagement with security agencies.

Air movement in the regions, apart from those aircraft taking operation, was also banned, as other security measures remain in force.

School dropout

In Silale, Mr Yudah Losutan, an elder from Nginyang,’ warned of a high school dropout rate if parents move with their children to safer areas, noting that in a community where many parents don’t take education seriously, learners could easily be turned into herders.

Tirioko MCA Sam Lourien appealed to the government to rethink the plan.

“It may be true that bandits are hiding in Silale but again, announcing that they are being targeted is a big joke. They will flee to other safer areas and leave young boys to herd their livestock instead,” he said.

“The government should just use its intelligence reports in smoking them out and leave the innocent souls. By the look of things, women, the elderly, and young children will suffer because they are always the ones left behind in the villages when there is trouble,” said Mr Lourien.

Nowhere to go

In Turkana County, residents stayed put as the 24-hour- vacate order lapsed at 8:30am.

Among them is Mr Ernest Lopem, who has for the past 29 years, lived in Nakwamoru village in Turkana South sub county since he moved from his parent's home at the nearby Kaputir village to start a family.

"I now have nine children. Four of them are still pupils at Nakwamoru Primary School, where they even left this morning to go. I am employed by the Turkana County Government as a health worker attached to Kalemngorok Dispensary but I haven't reported today following the order by the Interior CS for us to vacate," Mr Lopem said.

He was at home stranded and confused, uncertain of what will befall his family by evening.

Mr Lopem said he doesn't know any other home despite frequent attempts by bandits from neighbouring West Pokot county to displace him and his family after stealing all his livestock.

The village, he said, is made up of residents who were pastoralists, but who were forced into farming as the only alternative source of livelihood following frequent cattle theft and killings by bandits.

"I heard the order from Prof Kindiki to vacate, but we are at Nakwamoru to stay. Let them come and kill us right here if we are bandits. We will comply if they show us an alternative place to stay because as it is, we don't know where to go to. I have stayed at Nakwamoru for three decades now," Mr Lopem said.

The disabled, elderly and the sick

In the village, there are more than 20 people aged 60 years and above who were born and raised there. Some of them are disabled, sick, or abandoned.

Mr Nangor Edukon, an elderly blind grandfather relies on his grandchildren, who are pupils at Nakwamoru Primary School for support. Most of the time, he spends time in the manyatta waiting for the grandchildren to bring him water and food.

"I have lived at Nakwamoru since I was born and what I know is that our neighbours have been working hard to displace us by first stealing all our livestock, killing many, and even destroying crops on our farms. The government should go for them because I don't know where I can migrate to and if can cover even a kilometre from my manyatta," said Mr Edukon, in his 70s.

He said Nakwamoru is a village of peasant farmers who were initially pastoralists before their livestock was stolen by bandits.

At Lobokat, residents also vowed to stay put, saying that the Interior CS gave out a blanket listing of some areas. 

"Lobokat is a whole ward comprising three major trading centres that include Kainuk, Loyapat, and Kaakong. I was born at Kainuk more than 40 years ago, I don't have any other place to go," Ms Margaret Arot said.

She urged security teams to capitalise on local intelligence to narrow down on kraals that are harbouring bandits.
"Sustained attacks are evidence that there are a few peace spoilers that must be dealt with by banking on local intelligence and past resolutions," she 
said.

The spate of attacks in the troubled North, according to the Executive, has claimed more than 135 people including 20 security officers in the past seven months alone.

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