Collective disarmament to end trade

By Isaiah Lucheli

Members of Parliament from Turkana have asked the Government to deploy the military along the Kenya-Uganda-Sudan border to contain cattle rustling and proliferation of small arms.

Turkana Central MP Ekwe Ethuro and Joseph Nanok of Turkana South said there was an urgent need for the Government to intervene and start supervising and enforcing communal pasture management among the pastoralists to end conflicts.

CCI writer Isaiah Lucheli displays some of the bullets that were on sale in Oropoi, Turkana District. The bullets are legal tender in this region.  {PHOTO/ PETER OCHIENG /STANDARD}

The MPs noted that vicious conflicts over pasture and cattle rustling due to the ravaging drought were to blame for the proliferation of arms.

The MPs said the Ugandan and the South Sudan government’s had established their military barracks at Moroto and Nadapal areas near the common border thus securing their citizens.

Living under threat
“Kenya has failed to establish military barracks on the borders which makes it easy for raiders from the neighbouring countries to launch attacks and kill innocent people,’’ said Ethuro.
The attacks, added Ethuro, had forced the people to acquire guns and ammunition to defend their livestock and their families.

“As leaders we are tired of the violence and proliferation of arms but unless security challenges and lack of infrastructure is addressed, disarmament will not be a solution,” said Ethuro.
Cabinet minister John Munyes explained that there had been an escalation of aggression by bandits from neighbouring countries, which has led to the loss of life and livestock theft.

Displaced families

“Over 400 people including a respected elder have been killed following aggression by the Toposas of Sudan. It is good that the Government has beefed up security near the border,” he said.
Nanok, who is an assistant minister for Forestry and Wildlife Services, protested that attacks occasioned by ownership of illegal arms had led to the displacement of over 30,000 families in the region.
Nanok also demanded that the Government resettles people displaced by cattle rustling.
“We have internally displaced Persons (IDPs) who are camping in market centres in dire need for help. They have lost their livestock, which were the their source of
livelihood,’’ said Nanok.
The Turkana South MP also asked the Government to  deploy anti-stock theft police unit to combat escalating cases of cattle rustling.
Nanok said the security personnel in the region were inadequate, which had led to constant attacks by bandits leading to the loss of lives of innocent people.

 

 

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