Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen. [Photo/standardmedia.co.ke]North Rift and South Rift elected leaders want the government to forcibly confiscate illegal firearms in counties rocked by insecurity.
Speaking during a peace meeting at Chesegon area on the border of Elgeyo Marakwet and West Pokot counties, the leaders told the government to use all means at its disposal to seize unlicensed firearms, especially those in the hands of bandits.
Led by Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen, they attributed renewed inter-communal conflicts to the influx of illegal guns in the region.
The leaders also held a series of meetings in Tiaty in Baringo and Sigor in West Pokot following inter-communal clashes that left six people dead and more than 300 animals stolen in the area last week.
Murkomen, who is also the Senate Leader of Majority, faulted the security personnel deployed along the borders of the troubled counties for taking too long to respond to distress calls.
“We have asked the government to use force to seize illegal firearms in possession of bandits in the region so that residents can focus on income generating activities to uplift their standards of living,” he said.
Murkomen also asked Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet, and West Pokot governors to each establish a funded department to facilitate the efforts of the peace committees.
Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Alex Tolgos said renewed conflicts will disrupt peace and development in the region, urging the government to scale up their operations to restore calm.
He said that there was an urgent need to establish an Anti-Stock Theft unit police camp in Kamelei area, in addition to improving telephone coverage and access roads in the region to curb insecurity.
Legislators David Pkosing (Pokot South), Peter Lochakapong (Sigor) and Woman Reps Lilian Tomtom (West Pokot) and Gladwell Cheruiyot (Baringo) among others were in attendance.