By Ekaale Crispus
Mr. President I hail from Kapedo, a village in Turkana East sub-county, Turkana county. Conflict has become our daily encounter while it is breaking news in other parts of the country.
Kapedo has many names within it, a valley of death being one of it and indeed it is, because many people have lost lives and livelihoods.
Many years ago conflict was animal based and it was termed as animal re-stocking because it was cultural, it then turned to business and currently we don’t know what it is.
21 police officers were killed , you visited Kapedo, and Pokot community acknowledged to have killed the officers thinking that it was Turkana people.
I want to tell you Mr. President that Pokot got away with that and to them it is business as usual.
The last five days have been hectic and uneasy for us living in Kapedo, for our houses have been burnt, places of worship and hospital destroyed and looted.
The reports that the higher authority have been receiving concerning the conflict in Kapedo has always been false, because of the threats and intimidation they have received from Pokot leaders and community.
Mr. President the current attack has claimed a life of Senior GSU superintendent who had visited kapedo so as to unravel the mystery of the current conflict. Emadau Temako died in the hands of Pokot Bandits who have a goal to accomplish in Kapedo and saw him as an impediment (Rest in Peace Sir).
Mr. President, they have made killing a hobby, and the only solution is to bring the perpetrators of the act to book.
Mr. President the only person who is required by law to own or possess a weapon is police officers, so as to maintain law and order: But in Kapedo the law is Pokot and if you don’t do as they want , you are as gone as the Superintendent.
Mr. President , I will salute your officers even if I am not a police officers, if the killers of Temako will be arrested.
President Uhuru Kenyatta, Sabaot land defence force was completely shut down within a short period of time, but Kapedo conflict remains unsolved for decades. I believe in your government and governance; Kenyans rights and freedom must be protected as in the constitution and not derogated at will by bandits.
Mr. President you always say that Kenya is for all of us, that’s more than 40 million people, but the number has reduced by five since the start of the Kapedo attacks. If it had been a natural death I would have not argued nor written a letter to you because death is part of our life and a right of passage as well, but so far bullets have claimed the lives of five people in Kapedo, non of the death was natural but rather it is a forced ‘illegal bullet’ death.
Mr. Presidents don’t let the death of Superintendent go in vain , let it be a new dawn to the Kapedo people. Thank you sir.
