Looming humanitarian crisis in Kapedo as operation to weed out bandits intensifies

BARINGO, Kenya, Jan, 23 – Six days after an ‘aggressive’ security operation in Kapedo kicked off, the situation has only moved from bad to worse.

This is even as government reaffirms it will not relent on it quest to restore sanity and peace amidst a looming humanitarian disaster that has so far seen hundreds flee from their homes following the killing of several people by suspected bandits.

A security team consisting of officers drawn from the Rapid Deployment unit (RDU), General Service Unit (GSU), Border Patrol Unit (BPU) amongst other are spearheading ground and aerial operations.

In the midst of the operation, thousands of learners are set to remain at home after schools were closed in the areas described to be battling the grounds.

The areas affected are said to be infiltrated by bandits.

According to reports, many have fled their homes as a result of the banditry attacks and subsequent security operation that has many fearing for their lives.

School teachers are now threatening to fail to report to schools since they are not guaranteed of their safety.

While supervising the Kenya Union of Post Primary Teachers (KUPPET) elections in Marigat, Ronald Tonui, the Union’s Vice National Secretary appealed to Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to provide security for teachers after a couple were killed while others sustained injuries during the banditry attacks.

“The Teachers Service Commission must ensure those teachers are safe and are allowed to go back home in the areas affected by the attacks. For now, they should even be facilitated with fare to go home during this operation until everything is safe again, ” KUPPET Vice National Secretary said.

With emotions high, particularly amongst security forces who saw several of their colleagues killed in recent days, teachers argue that they may get caught in the crossfire.

This is so, they say, since it may be difficult to distinguish the teachers from potential enemies out to cause them harm.

“We support what the government is doing in this security operation but security forces may also not be able to distinguish who is a teacher and who is not a teacher because it is not written on their face. This is a real concern for us. Alternatively, government must identify where teachers reside so they are not hurt in the process. We are here to defend teachers,the best conditions must be there for teachers,” Tonui said.

A teacher from Nginyang Primary school, Esther Njeri, was Friday injured after being shot with an arrow by suspected bandits

Academicians are further calling on the teachers’ employers, TSC, to provide risk allowance and insurance to teachers in areas prone to violence.

Teachers unions say they will factor this in when they will negotiate their next collective bargaining agreement.

Rift Valley Regional coordinator George Natembeya has assured that the government will protect civilians from banditry attacks.

“Actually to prevent the situation from spilling into other counties, we’ve directed security personnel to arrest and return suspected bandits to us, so we deal with them,” he told Shahidi News.

Meanwhile, Silale Member of County Assembly Nelson Lotela presented himself to the DCI office regarding the attacks in Kapedo.

Despite recording a statement on the matter, he was formally summoned to appear before their offices on the January 23, for further interrogation.

Nine people have so far been killed this week during the attacks, among them three police officers.