The government has put in place elaborate security measures to facilitate smooth reopening of public schools in Mukutany area along the volatile border of Baringo South and Taity constituencies in Baringo County.
Rift Valley regional Commissioner George Natembeya assured parents and tutors in the affected area that there should be no cause for alarm since all security measures have been put in place to guarantee the safety of their lives and property, terming the recent cattle rustling raid as an isolated case.
Speaking to Mwanahabari.co.ke on phone, Natembeya said the government has deployed additional security officers drawn from the anti-stock theft unit, regular and administration backed by Kenya Police Reservists to secure the affected area ahead of Monday’s school reopening across the country.
“There should be no cause for worry at all since the government is in control of the security situation on the ground to ensure smooth reopening of schools devoid of any ugly incident as witnessed in the past,” assured Natembeya.
At least more than 300 families have been displaced from their homes with their children amid heightened tension following the daring day time cattle rustling attack by suspected bandits from Pokot community.
The aggrieved families claimed that they had been rendered homeless and were not willing and ready to go back to their homes for fear of fresh attack by armed bandits who they claimed were carrying out their deadly mission in glare of the security officers stationed along the volatile border.
“We are spending the night in cold with our children while other families are camping at Mukutany trading centre. We ran for our dear lives leaving behind maize in the granaries and we appeal for urgent humanitarian assistance,” said Jane Kangogo, a mother of five.
She faulted the government for moving into action after bandits have already fled with hundreds of livestock despite raising distress calls to relevant security agencies about the impending attacks in the area.
“The government has the habit of responding to our distress calls hours after the armed bandits have left with the stolen animals towards Baringo East and to make the matters worse, no arrest is made,” she complained.
Local leaders led by Baringo governor Stanely Kiptis and Baringo South MP Charles Kamuren have asked the security personnel dispatched to the affected area to ensure the stolen animals are recovered without further delay.
Kiptis expressed fear that more than 30 public and primary and secondary schools might not reopen in Mukutany on Monday if the security situation will not restored on time due to what he termed frequent vicious attacks
He said the security operation should not be focused along the border of the two constituencies but extended to interior parts of the Tiaty constituency where the armed bandits carry out their deadly attacks.
Kamuren said the bandits who have been causing mayhem in his area were well known and wondered why the government was taking too long to bring them to book to account for their action.