Madaraka Day: Governors spotlight key issues including LGBTQ controversy, banditry

Governors in the North Rift region used Madaraka Day celebrations to draw attention to LGBTQ issues, banditry, the refugee crisis, land grabbing and the release of 32 Kenyans imprisoned in Uganda.

Governor Jonathan Bii called on security agencies in Uasin Gishu County to rein in unscrupulous NGOs allegedly luring youths to join lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) groups.

Speaking at Ainabtich Primary School in Moiben Constituency during the 60th Madaraka Day celebrations, the governor warned that young people in the county were being recruited into the groups at an alarming rate and urged the government to remain vigilant.

"It has come to our attention that some NGOs in Eldoret and neighbouring regions are deceiving youths into becoming members of LGBTQ. The youths are asked to join the groups because they are empowered and given money, but at the end of the day, they find that they are being taken for a ride," the governor said, calling on the county commissioner, Mr Edison Nyale, to activate his surveillance.

"I also urge parents and guardians to be aware of their children's movements so that they do not find themselves in same-sex marriages as has been witnessed before," he said.

Hard drugs

The governor also claimed that NGOs were responsible for the introduction of hard drugs, including cocaine, to the region.

"We will fight the increasing use of cocaine just as we are eliminating illegal drugs, including busaa and chang'aa. Since we started the fight against drug abuse, we have destroyed 5,727 litres of chang'aa, 9,140 litres of busaa and 63,797 litres of kang’ara. This fight will be intensified until we eliminate drug and substance abuse in the region," he said.

Mr Bii said despite the fight against drug abuse, the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse recently listed Uasin Gishu County as one of the regions grappling with the drug menace.

"The multi-agency team will continue raiding villages and bars that do not comply with the regulations. Those who flout the rules will have their licences revoked," he said.

Kitale refugees

In Trans Nzoia County, Governor George Natembeya called on the national government to address the plight of refugees who hosted at the ASK Showground in Kitale.

"We have refugees from Congo and Rwanda who are staying at ASK Showground in Kitale. We want the government to take them to Kakuma or we will put them in trucks and dump them at Nyayo Stadium," the governor threatened.

Speaking at the celebrations held at Bikeke Primary School, Mr Natembeya also vowed to continue repossessing all grabbed public land despite the high political temperatures in the county.

He challenged critics of his leadership style, saying he had delivered on his mandate.

"Every elected leader must deliver on the promises they made to the electorate when they campaigned for office," the governor said.

Kiminini MP Kakai Bissau called for partnership among leaders in the region and warned against polarised politics.

Illegal arms

In Baringo, County Commissioner Stephen Kutwaput warned that armed criminals were wreaking havoc in villages.

Speaking at a ceremony at Kabartonjo Primary School in Baringo North, he urged civilians in possession of illegal weapons to surrender them to the authorities to avoid dire consequences.  

Mr Kutwaput noted that the multi-agency team deployed to carry out disarmament in the mapped areas had helped minimise rampant cattle rustling and killings in border villages, noting that some livestock had been recovered in the process.

"We have seen relative calm in the border villages for some time now. With the ongoing operation, we have also managed to arrest some notorious bandits suspected to be responsible for the spate of attacks and cattle rustling in Baringo and other neighbouring counties," said Mr Kutwa.

According to the county commissioner, the recent recruitment of more than 200 police reservists in Baringo North and Baringo South sub-counties will help restore sanity as the cohorts will complement the security officers carrying out the disarmament exercise and flush out the bandits.

He urged locals to assist the security agencies by providing information that will help tame the perennial menace of rampant insecurity.

Water prioritised

Baringo Governor Benjamin Cheboi noted that his administration has prioritised allocation of resources to water to increase sustainable access to clean and affordable water for residents in the region.

Since September 2022, he said, 40 boreholes have been drilled and flushed and 33 rehabilitated.

In Turkana, the leaders called for concerted efforts to improve security in border villages prone to banditry attacks.

Release jailed Kenyans

On the Kenya-Uganda border, Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai appealed to the ministries of Interior and Foreign Affairs to help secure the release of 32 Turkana county residents being held in Uganda after they were arrested and convicted by a military court.

He said the Kenyans were suffering in foreign jails and promised to rally the pastoralists to respect the rule of law.

Turkana Central MP Emathe Namuar and Woman Representative Cecilia Ngitit, who led residents in the celebrations at Moi Gardens in Lodwar town, said insecurity had disrupted learning, business and farming.

Mr Lomorukai said his administration continues to make strides in promoting peace and security for harmonious co-existence with neighbouring communities and supports government efforts to bring peace between county residents and their neighbours and to enhance security in areas affected by banditry through ongoing security operations.

"As a county, we have supported disarmament efforts and last month appealed for the voluntary surrender of 20 guns by Turkana youths in Kaakong. We will continue to engage our people to surrender more weapons, even as we call on the government to deploy more national police reservists to help secure residents and their property," he said.

He noted that the recent recruitment, training and deployment of 140 police reservists in Turkana South, Loima and Turkana West sub-counties had resulted in improved security in the villages and called for more.

"We are optimistic that working with the security agencies will improve the security situation in the area. While we appreciate the progress made so far, I urge the Ministry of Interior to consider recruiting more reservists," said the governor.

He said his administration had allocated more than Sh150 million for the construction and rehabilitation of resettlement sites in security hotspots in the county. 

Peace crusader recognised

He gave special mention and recognition to Dr Malcolm Lochodo, a peace crusader who embarked on a courageous journey known as the "Walk of Faith, Walk of Peace" along the volatile Kitale-Lodwar highway. 

"Dr Lochodo's commitment to spreading the message of reconciliation and promoting peaceful co-existence is commendable. His efforts serve as an inspiration to us all, reminding us of the power of dialogue and understanding in resolving conflicts," the governor said.

Vandalised schools

Ms Ngitit said the government should speed up the reconstruction of schools destroyed by bandits to improve access to education in the border areas.

The county woman rep said Turkana South has primary schools such as Kaakong, Lokwar, Nakuse, Kaputir, Lorogon and Kainuk that are either abandoned or have low enrolment due to banditry, but which are yet to be rebuilt.

She said a proper assessment of the vandalised schools needs to be done to inform the allocation of sufficient funds to rebuild, equip and provide security for the schools.

BY FRED KIBOR, EVANS JAOLA, SAMMY LUTTA and FLORAH KOECH