13 year old surrenders weapons in volatile Narok South, opts for school

Dennis Lang’at, a 13-year-old boy from Narok voluntarily surrendered his bow and arrows to the government as part of measures to restore peace following tribal clashes in Narok South.

As fate would have it, Lang’at had his future turned around during a community meeting that was attended by Rift Valley Regional Commissioner George Natembeya.

A seemingly furious Lang’at while addressing the ‘baraza’ said he was only defending his family after their house was torched during tribal altercations in Ololompanki and Oloruashi in Narok.

“Nyumbani wamechoma, hakuna mahali pa kuishi, shambani mahindi wamefyeka, na hakuna kitu tumefanya! Wale wameanza vita huko!”

Natembeya, in turn, asked the community what they were teaching the 13-year-old boy to become in future.

The Regional Commissioner then offered Lang’at sponsored education by the government saying that the boy now had a chance to improve his life as he might even go ahead and join the National Youth Service later in life and become a meaningful person in society.

His mother, Roseline Jepkor in tears said those castigating her over her son’s actions were misinformed because Lang’at disappeared on his own accord to fight after the war began.

All she could do was thank God that her son was alive.

Nine people have been killed and 13 others seriously injured since the clashes started two weeks ago.

The row started when a young man from the Kipsigis community allegedly stole his father’s cow and sold it to a man from the Maasai community.

The violence broke out at Olooruasi and Olpusimoru in Narok South and North sub-counties respectively.

Maasais and Kipsigis living in Narok South have since surrendered 526 bows and 1,120 arrows to the government as part of measures to restore the peace following tribal clashes in the area.

The weapons were surrendered to Narok South Deputy County Commissioner Felix Kisalu at Oloolbangi on Wednesday.

While thanking the locals for returning illegal weapons, Kisalu said only police officers are allowed to carry weapons.

“The move is commendable but you must surrender more weapons because we are aware that some people are still holding them at home,” Kisalu said.

The administrator said they have given the communities three more days to surrender the weapons, saying those who will not heed the directive will face the full wrath of the law.

“I call upon the village elders to take a register of people who have not returned the weapons after the expiry of the ultimatum so that they will face forceful disarmament,” he said.

Kisalu also announced that they have banned the sale of illegal weapons comprising bows, arrows and spears in all markets and trading centres.

“The weapons were meant for protective measures and now we have started misusing them by attacking one another which is against the law,” he said.