Gov't yet to grasp extent of Kerio Valley insecurity- Governor Natembeya

Trans-Nzoia County Governor George Natembeya has offered insights into why insecurity continues to plague the Kerio Valley, despite the fact that Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen hails from the area.

In an interview on a local television station on Saturday, June 7, Natembeya pointed out that, even with government interventions, the challenges facing the North Rift region have yet to be effectively resolved.

"The government, despite its efforts, has not succeeded in resolving the security challenges in the North Rift," Natembeya said.

He added that although the Interior CS comes from the area, he has not fully understood the seriousness and complexity of the problems facing Kerio Valley.

“Even though the CS is from the region, he has yet to fully grasp the true nature of the challenge,” Natembeya said.

The governor stressed that ending insecurity in Kerio Valley demands a firm, conscious commitment from all stakeholders to put a stop to cattle rustling and banditry even when those responsible come from their own communities.

“They must make a clear decision to end cattle rustling and banditry, regardless of whether it is carried out by members of their own communities. In my view, that commitment has not yet been made by the key players responsible for restoring peace,” Natembeya explained.

He underscored the need for the Interior CS, the Regional Commissioner, and other authorities to apply the law impartially.

“You have to make a firm choice, just as I did when I addressed the Mau issue. You must be willing to confront cattle rustling and banditry, even if it involves your own community members. Emotions must be set aside. If it’s your brother breaking the law, it doesn’t matter enforce the law,” Natembeya said.

Looking back on his tenure as Rift Valley Regional Commissioner, Natembeya revealed that he had tried to address insecurity but was hampered by insufficient backing from Harambee House.

“During my time in office, I made similar efforts to address the issue but received no support from Harambee House. I managed to rally security officers who were ready to risk their lives to bring peace to the region, but their work was blocked by the then-regime. They weren’t even given official approval or allowances,” he said.

Natembeya concluded by saying that with the political backing available today, he could have resolved the insecurity in less than a month.