The Government has declined to lift the dawn to dusk curfew it imposed late last year for Olpusimoru ward residents following perennial clashes experienced in the area last year.
Rift Valley Regional Commissioner Chimwaga Mongo imposed the curfew in October last year after tens of people were killed and others injured in tribal conflicts believed to have been caused by cattle rustling.
Speaking at Olpusimoru market centre when he led a National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) delegation who visited the area, Narok County Commissioner George Natembeya said the curfew would be lifted only if a police post was built in the area.
“I have heard your cry that you want to extend in social places late at night, but I cannot allow that if there is no police post in this area to assure me of your security. It is better to prevent than to cure,” said Natembeya.
The County commissioner said over 150 security officers drawn from General Service Unit (GSU) and Kenya Police Service are deployed in the area to boost security in the volatile area.
He warned that time was up for hate mongers and cattle thieves that anyone found inciting others to violence would face the full force of the law.
“The president has put me in this county to make sure you are all secure. I mind your security too much that I will not allow politicians or any influential person to give hate speech in any gatherings,” he continued.
The NCIC Director of Programmes Millicent Okatch called on involvement of women in peace and reconciliation programme but warned them against triggering conflict through careless wailing.
“We know our women are experts of wailing when something small happens, but we plead to them not to cause panic in the villages and instead report to the relevant authorities who will help in resolving the issues,” said Ms. Okatch.
Olposimoru Member of County Assembly Kikaet Ole Kuyo challenged the security team to monitor any political or social gatherings claiming most violence was planned in such gatherings.
Kuyo regretted that tribalism had torn so much in the social fabric in the cosmopolitan area and promised to push for a bill at the County Assembly that will ban tribal identification.
“I propose that the issue of identifying people from the tribe they come from should be banned in our county and country. It is better we identify ourselves as Kenyans because we are all brothers and sisters,” said Kuyo.
NCIC and Narok security team are on a two day visit that kicked off in Olpusimoru in Narok North and will end today in Nkoben in Narok South through an interactive meeting with residents to promote cohesion.
By Ann Salaton
