President Uhuru Kenyatta in Narok on Friday, April 7, 2017. Photo/PSCU
A section of Narok County residents have expressed discontent following President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Friday visit.
The residents said the President failed to address two key issues affecting them during his tour of the region.
They said they expected the Jubilee Party leader to address insecurity and offsetting of loans that Narok’s wheat and cane farmers owe the Agriculture Finance Co-operation (AFC).
“A word from the President is very powerful. We are very disappointed that he did not mention even a word on the insecurity,” Emmanuel Mukasa, a resident was quoted by The Nation.
Mukasa asked the President to address the rampant killings in the region, saying there will be no voters if everyone dies in the ongoing clashes between the Maasai and the Kipsigis.
President Uhuru addressing residents at Narok Stadium. PHOTO/PSCU
During Uhuru’s visit, a man was shot with an arrow at Pimbinyiet in Trans Mara West.
The region has experiences clashes for one year now.
Armed youths attacked and shot 60-year-old Silal Ole Mainoya as he was grazing his goats near river Maogor.
At least 40 people have been killed in Pimbinyiet in the past one year in land and cattle rustling conflicts, according to The Nation.
Houses have been torched and dozens of locals displaced from their original homes.
“Yes, he (Uhuru) came to seek our votes. We are willing to vote for him, but who will be left to vote if we are killed?” Mukasa asked.
He added that the residents were unable to register as voters thanks to the clashes.
Trans Mara Kenya Federation of Sugarcane Farmers chairman Stephen Narupa says besides the multi-million shillings loans owed to AFC, they also owe banks and other financial institutions millions of shillings in agriculture loans.
“We have seen President Uhuru Kenyatta writing off coffee loans in other parts of the country, why not for Narok farmers,” said Narupa, as reported by The Nation.