Laikipia North residents have appealed to the government to open up road network in the area, for ease of pursuing bandits and subsequent restoration of peace in the area.
Speaking in Bokish, Doldol during a two-day parliamentary security committee tour led by the Narok West MP Gabriel Ole Tongoyo to assess security situation in Laikipia, residents lamented that the on-going security operation in the area was being hampered by poor terrain.
They also pointed out that the current government operation to smoke out bandits from Mukogodo forest has affected the education of children, who have been missing out of school after families were ordered to vacate the forest.
James Lentura, a resident, said that they obeyed government orders to vacate the Mukogodo forest within 48 hours, but the directive had affected them, urging that they be allowed to return to their homes.
“We obeyed government orders to vacate the forest, but bandits who have terrorized us for long are there. We call upon the government to intervene. Our women are giving birth under trees and our children are not going to school,” lamented Lentura.
On his part, Ole Tongoyo said the security parliamentary committee had to tour the area to listen to views of Sieku community and others displaced from their homes due to the ongoing security operation in Laikipia North Sub County.
“We are here as a parliamentary security committee for the affairs of the Yaku community and neighboring residents who were displaced due to the ongoing security operation in Mukogodo forest. In this area we have issues of banditry,” said the Narok West MP, who also doubles as the parliamentary security committee chairman.
The chairman noted that after stealing cattle from residents, bandits drive them away through Mukogodo forest, thus after the government launched the security operation to wipe out bandits in the forest, residents got affected in a big way and that’s the issue the committee was assessing, with a view to addressing concerns of the residents.
However, the legislator lauded the ongoing security operation in the larger North Rift region, noting it had been of great success in fighting insecurity issues in the country.
On her part, Laikipia North MP Sarah Korere said that bandits have been using Mukogodo forest as their hideout after committing crimes in the area and the current security operation would help in flushing them out.
“There has been a lot of destruction in this forest due to bandits and we want to urge the government to ensure that residents are not affected as the operation continues,” she said.
Korere further appealed to the government to give priority to the less developed areas during resource allocation to ensure equity across the country.
Laikipia County Commissioner Joseph Kanyiri who accompanied the security committee said that they had been able to recover about three firearms since the operation commenced a week ago.
He further said the authorities were conducting the security operation with a human heart and that no resident would be victimized.
Kanyiri urged residents to surrender all illegal firearms in their possession, noting that they would not be charged if they surrender them voluntarily.
Other members of the committee present included Fred Kapondi (Mt. Elgon) and his Teso counterpart Oku Kaunya.
By Muturi Mwangi
