A primary school in Samburu North sub-county, which was closed due to incessant banditry attacks and killings, has been reopened after the government beefed up security and restored calm and normalcy in the area.
Speaking during a tour of the school, Samburu County Commissioner (CC) John Cheruiyot confirmed that Soit Pus primary school is up and running following a multi-agency security operation to flush out highway bandits and cattle rustlers that wreaked havoc along the volatile Malaso belt on the Samburu-Baringo border.
The CC said that the school, which was closed down in mid-February after residents fled the area due to banditry, has been reopened with 74 pupils reporting to class and eight teachers reporting for duty.
While addressing the teachers, the CC, who is also the chair of the County Security Committee, assured them of their safety as they prepared the students to sit for their first Kenya Primary School Education Assessment (KEPSEA), saying that additional National Police Reservists (NPR) will be deployed inside the schoolโs compound.
At the same time, the administrator urged the teachers to reach out to parents and encourage them to return back to their homes, assuring them the government has the security situation under control.
โWe have restored security, and residents have nothing to be afraid of. It is safe for them to return to their farms so that their children can go back to school and continue learning,โ he said.
Soit Pus Primary School Deputy Head Teacher Michael Lolmarei told KNA that the school closed at the height of insecurity in February after area MCA Stephen Leshimpiro was shot and killed by suspected bandits while driving home.
โWith constant police patrols, I can say that security is back to normal, and we start classes at 8 a.m. and end at 3 p.m. We will have our first 21 pupils sit for KEPSEA in two weeksโ time, and we have to give credit to the security organs,โ the teacher said.
Situated at the edge of the 68-kilometre-long Malaso escarpment, Soit Pus is preferred by highway bandits and cattle rustlers from neighbouring Baringo County who use the rough and inaccessible terrain of the valley to take cover after terrorising residents and motorists along the Maralal-Baragoi road.
The security boss noted that the war on banditry and cattle rustling in his jurisdiction has been boosted after the government opened up security roads towards Malaso Valley, which has eased the movement of security patrols for the multi-agency team.
โWe have GSU patrols along the Soit Pus-Morijo-Baragoi road; we also have a GSU camp in Longewan village and a KDF camp in Loosuk. In addition, the government has trained and armed 552 NPRs to support in response, tracking, and recovery of stolen livestock,โ Cheruiyot said.
On information sharing, Cheruiyot appealed to residents to work closely with security agencies by giving crucial leads that will help break the incessant banditry and cattle rustling menace.
The CC was leading the county security committee team to appraise the security situation in Soit Pus, Porro, and Malaso escarpment view points.
By Robert Githu
