Peace efforts in the North Rift region have been dealt a major blow as bandits have changed tactics by targeting and killing women.
On Thursday evening, two women who were searching for gold in Kases village, Ombolion area in North Pokot Sub-county, West Pokot County, were killed by suspected bandits from Turkana County.
The two have been identified as Chemket Long'olenyang, 50, and Cheposang'il Rengeyei, 24.
The attack comes barely a few months after the Ministry of Interior deployed 205 National Police Reservists (NPRs) to West Pokot County to man border posts in hotspot areas such as Turkwel and Chesegon.
The Ombolion area has been a battleground between bandits and locals, making the village a frightening and inhospitable place to live.
Two months ago, a national police reservist, who is also a relative of the area chief, was killed while on patrol at Lonyangelem primary school.
Ombolion Chief Joseph Korkimul said tensions are still high in the area following the attack and that the security team is pursuing the bandits, who are believed to have come from neighbouring Turkana County.
Mr Korkimul said the bandits came to steal livestock, but the herders who were looking after the animals escaped, so the bandits killed the two women and injured others.
“Livestock theft has resurfaced in the area. Bandits stage attacks daily,” he said.
He said more than 10 women were looking for gold along the Turkwel-Romos road when they were attacked.
Mr Korkimul said the Ministry of Interior should deploy more police reservists to the area to calm tensions and keep bandits away.
"This village is now becoming a war zone...Let the government deploy more police reservists in this area to beef up security. This will scare the bandits and peace will prevail. We can't keep losing our people every day," said Chief Korkimul.
He called on the government to set up security camps for anti-stock theft or General Service Unit officers in Takaiywa and Ombolion to help curb the increasing cases of insecurity.
“The motive behind these attacks is not known and I urge the government to deploy more police officers in the area,” the chief said.
“The bandits killed the women and dashed into the thicket,” said Khalif.
“We shall not entertain anyone engaging in crime and banditry,” he added.
Leaders from the North Rift region have condemned the killings and called on the government to change its strategies for tackling banditry in the region.
West Pokot Governor Simon Kachapin said the region is peaceful except for a few criminals who destabilise the peace.
“Their days are numbered. Turkana, Samburu, and Marakwets are not bad apart from a few individuals. We condemn them and we should not blame games. Pokots and Turkana do business together,” he says.
Fresh attacks coupled with banditry and cattle rustling have resurfaced in villages along the West Pokot-Turkana border after five years of peaceful coexistence.
Kasei MCA Francis Krop Loboo says the government may not achieve its goal of silencing the guns in the valley unless it uses local leaders to solve local problems in the Kerio Valley region.
He condemned the attacks and called on the government to investigate the causes of the frequent attacks.
"Why kill innocent women? We are permanent neighbours and should learn to live together. No one benefits from banditry and cattle rustling. This area needs development projects like irrigation schools and churches and the government should pay pastors to preach peace in the area," he said.
“Former President Mwai Kibaki used dialogue and there was peace,” he said.
Senator Murgor called on the Ministry of Interior and Rift Valley Regional Commissioner Abdi Hassan to act quickly and bring the situation under control.
