Agony as banditry empties classrooms in Turkana East

The latest displacement followed a deadly attack on Lopii village two weeks ago when bandits struck in broad daylight as President William Ruto attended an interdenominational thanksgiving service in neighbouring West Pokot County to mark progress in peace and unity across the Kerio Valley region.

One of the victims was Emuria Loripon, who was grazing more than 400 cattle with other herders when he was shot dead. Turkana County Police Commander John Tarus said officers from Turkana East had yet to recover Loripon’s body or the stolen livestock.

Overcome by shock and fear, Loripon’s widow, Amoit Lopiron, fled the village with her four children, who were set to resume learning at nearby Lopii Primary School.

Her neighbour, Elizabeth Lokwale, said Ms Lopiron was among the first residents to flee following the attack.

“After learning that her husband had been shot dead and all their cattle driven away, she fled with her children. She left behind 10 orphaned calves crying in the now deserted homestead. I am also leaving the village for Lokichar with my grandchildren,” Ms Lokwale said.

The prevailing tension has forced many families to flee with their school-going children, drastically reducing enrolment at Lopii Primary School. Teachers have also failed to report for duty due to safety concerns.

Lopii Primary School is now among at least eight schools in Turkana East Constituency that have failed to reopen due to frequent bandit attacks.

Lochakula Primary School has reportedly been taken over by armed bandits, who are using the compound as a temporary camp while operating from the nearby South Turkana National Reserve.

At Napeitom Primary School, learning has yet to resume despite efforts by the Turkana County Government to resettle victims of a 2022 bandit arson attack.

In June last year, the county constructed a new village, offering permanent houses and basic services to affected families. However, residents say insecurity persisted even after the resettlement.

Ms Blessings Atabo recalled how her neighbour, Rose Lolimo, was shot dead near the school while learning was ongoing.

“We do not keep livestock that can expose us to attacks. Rose was within the school compound when she was shot. It means bandits can kill us all whenever they want,” Ms Atabo said.

She added that attacks resumed after the resettlement, leaving two people dead and two others injured within the same month.

“We cannot stay here without adequate security. It is better to live as internally displaced persons in towns like Lokori with our children than risk our lives,” she said.

Since 2022, learning has not resumed at Napeitom Primary School, where bandits vandalised infrastructure and stole iron sheets from classrooms and staff houses.

Learners who fled to towns such as Lokichar and Lokori have been forced to enrol in new schools, while children from pastoralist families continue to settle in areas without schools or basic social amenities.

Turkana East MP Nicholas Ngikor said insecurity had disrupted education across the constituency, with more than 10 schools affected by banditry.

“I prioritised Napeitom Primary School for reconstruction by the Kenya Defence Forces under the multi-agency Operation Maliza Uhalifu in the North Rift region, but three years later nothing has been done,” Mr Ngikor said.

He listed other affected schools as Lokosmekori, Lotiman, Kakiteitei, Kakolet and Lodapang’ora, adding that National Government Constituency Development Fund projects in those institutions had stalled.

The legislator said frequent attacks had forced teachers to abandon learners, leaving some schools relying solely on cooks and National Police Reservists for support.

“When food is supplied to schools, learners come to eat and then go back home. The Ministry of Interior must boost security in my constituency so that schools can reopen. We do not have peace to celebrate here,” Mr Ngikor said.

He added that while the rest of the country speaks of a “Singapore dream,” residents of Turkana East are grappling with insecurity that denies children their constitutional right to basic education.

Mr Ngikor also claimed authorities knew where stolen livestock were taken and who financed the raids but had failed to act.

“We know where the livestock stolen in Lopii were driven to and the untouchable financiers behind the raids, yet no action is taken. The government has the capacity to track and recover the animals, but there is no political will,” he said.

He recalled that during Deputy President Kithure Kindiki’s tenure as Interior Cabinet Secretary, the South Turkana National Reserve was identified and gazetted as a bandit hideout, but armed groups have never been forcefully flushed out.

“The government must walk the talk on disarmament. Bandits who escaped earlier operations are hiding in Turkana East and the South Turkana National Reserve,” he said.

President Ruto has acknowledged that Turkana, West Pokot, Baringo and Samburu counties continue to experience insecurity despite gains made through multi-agency operations.

He assured residents that his administration would end banditry before the end of his term and urged civilians in possession of illegal firearms to surrender them voluntarily.

“Anyone with an illegal gun who is not a police officer should surrender it to the nearest police station or church. If they do not, we will recover them forcefully,” said Dr Ruto who spoke in West Pokot.

He warned civilians against carrying firearms while grazing livestock, saying weapons should only be handled by trained security officers.

However, residents of Lopii village said presidential directives were rarely implemented on the ground, as schools and health services continue to be disrupted by attacks.

Mr Caxton Lominyi, a student at Kirinyaga University, said his parents had planned to sell part of their livestock to pay his school fees before the animals were stolen.

“Our parents have embraced education and sell livestock to educate us, but the stolen animals have not been recovered. Neither the Interior Cabinet Secretary nor local security teams have assured us of our safety,” he said.

Mr Lominyi urged the government to either recover the stolen livestock or compensate affected families to enable children to continue with their education.

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