North Rift Leaders Push Fund To Compensate Banditry Victims

NAIROBI Kenya April 14 -A section Members of Parliament from the bandit-hit North Rift region want a Fund to be set up by the government for compensation of victims who lose lives and property to banditry attacks.

The leaders have also proposed the creation of a ministry dedicated to issues of North Rift region, to deal with marginalization of the region, like the Ministry of Karamoja Affairs of Uganda.

Led by Tiaty MP William Kamket, the leaders pointed out that business people had also lost money and their stock to security officers who loot during operations.

“The government should establish a Fund where money for compensating people who lose lives and property and incur injuries following attacks by bandits would be drawn from,” said Kamket.

The leaders questioned why the government was compensating people who lose lives through calamities such as floods and fire among others, leaving out those who suffer in the hands of bandits.

The MPs were speaking when they appeared before the Hassan Adan Yussuf- led National Assembly Cohesion and Equal Opportunities Committee where they made proposals aimed at amicably resolving the unending skirmishes in the bandit prone North Rift region.

MP Kamket said the government should also forcefully drive residents from the troubled area to seek education as one way of eradicating illiteracy and banditry.

Turkana Women Representative Cecilia Ngitit and Samburu MP Naisula Lesuuda said illiteracy has hindered efforts to end banditry in the region.

“If we manage to educate our people we would make positive strides in the fight against banditry that has contributed to the region lagging behind in development,” she added.

Lesuuda noted that burning of schools by bandits has affected academic progress of many young people. She asked security personnel to protect learning institutions from attacks.

The meeting was also attended by the Marakwet East MP Bowen Kagogo, Baringo Women Representative Sergon Jemitia and Charles Kimuren (Baringo South).

They claimed the government was not committed to the fight against banditry and that security officers deployed in the area to deal with bandits were selling bullets to criminals.

The MPs also want a legislation that will safeguard the National Police Reservists Unit, remodel the unit, define their roles and enhance their training.

The meeting also proposed that fire arms should be regulated through issuing of G3 guns to government security officers and NPRs to distinguish them from illegal gun owners.

Yussuf said the Committee was seeking partnership with donors and State Agencies to fund strategies aimed at getting a lasting solution to banditry in the region.