MP Kamket, ex-legislator Lempurkel arrested over Laikipia skirmishes » Capital News

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep – Tiaty legislator William Kamket and ex-Laikipia North MP Mathew Lempurkel have been arrested over growing tension in Laikipia where ten deaths reported in three months.

The two, security officials said, will face charges related to breach of peace and destruction of property.

Rift Valley Regional Commissioner George Natembeya who confirmed Kamket’s arrest shortly after Lempurkel was transferred to Nairobi’s Milimani Law Courts to face charges did not divulge details on the role of the two leaders in ongoing skirmishes.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi had however hinted at the involvement of politicians in the crisis saying the security challenge in the county was “beyond the pasture and drought issue.”

The emerging conformation has been pitting majority resident farmers against immigrant herders who Natembeya said were armed with sophisticated weapons.

“While our officers are using AK47 and G3 rifles, the bandits (in Laikipia) are using M16s and other heavy machinery, which are usually used by foreign armies who come for training in Kenya. We don’t know how they get these heavy weapons,” he said.

The security CS stated that the Laikipia issue tends to arise during the electioneering period, adding that different government agencies had commenced efforts to find a long-lasting solution.

On Monday, the National Security Council (NSC) declared Laikipia a disturbed and a security operation area after weeks of escalating insecurity that had led to loss of lives and displacement of many people.

The government declared a dusk to dawn curfew in the troubled Laikipia Nature Conservancy ahead of the security operation to flush out bandits.

“During this meeting, NSC noted the area has continued to witness insecurity as a result of rampant cattle rustling arising from competition for water and pastures, as well as a surge in illegal gun ownership which has escalated the violence,” Matiangi said.

All livestock owners who had illegally moved their livestock into the conflict zone were ordered to remove them within 48 hours.