Politicians to blame for ethnic and boundary conflicts, says NCIC chairman Kaparo
NCIC chairman Francis ole Kaparo (seated 3rd right), with Tharaka-Nithi County security committee members outside the county commissioner's office on August 19, 2015. He said politicians were to blame for ethnic conflicts in the country. PHOTO | KEVIN NGAI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Mr Kaparo said every Kenyan has a right to live and invest in any part of the country regardless of his ethnicity, marital status or political affiliation.
- He warned political aspirants against promoting tribalism during public rallies.
- Kaparo said disputes on regional boundaries should not resort to mass killings as experienced in parts of the Coast.
- He said the commission has been tasked to visit all parts of the country to promote peace.
The National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) has attributed ethnic clashes in parts of the country to political incitement.
Speaking during a meeting with the Tharaka-Nithi County security committee members at Trans-Nation hall in Chuka Town Wednesday, NCIC chairman Francis ole Kaparo asked Kenyans to shun applauding politicians whenever they made inciting remarks.
He said politicians have given the commission “sleepless nights.”
Mr Kaparo said every Kenyan has a right to live and invest in any part of the country regardless of his ethnicity, marital status or political affiliation.
He said the commission has been tasked to visit all parts of the country to promote peace.
He warned political aspirants against promoting tribalism during public rallies.
NO EXCLUSIVE ZONES
“People should know they are not living in Kenya by mistake.
"A fully registered Kenyan should stay in any corner of the country regardless of his marital status.
"There is no exclusive zone in the country,” he said.
He said Kenyans should freely interact with each other and inter-marry to promote peace and fight tribalism.
“We should not fight because of small differences that can be solved through reconciliation.
“It will reach a time when generations will not map tribe boundaries; they will only know of their country Kenya and that is our aspiration,” he added.
Mr Kaparo noted that solutions to boundary disputes should be left to the state.
BOUNDARY ROW
At the same time he criticised the decision by the Tharaka-Nithi County government to forward the Meru and Tharaka-Nithi boundary row petition to Parliament saying the National Assembly members care little about it.
Mr Kaparo said disputes on regional boundaries should not resort to mass killings as experienced in parts of the Coast.
“Do you think an MP will have sleepless night thinking about Meru and Tharaka-Nithi boundary row?
“Out of about 300 MPs how many do you think have boundary rows in their constituencies?
“I have sat in Parliament for 15 years listening and seeing what they do. They will just come back to politicise the issue,” he said.
He appealed to the Ministry of Land to hasten land adjudication to end disputes.
He said the ministry has been derailing efforts to reconcile residents in areas experiencing land squabbles by failing to provide guidelines on land ownership.
Mr Kaparo said his commission has partnered with the National Land Commission to solve boundary rows in counties.
