Raids keep 30,000 out of school as families flee

Learning in some 27 schools with a population of more than 31,000 has been disrupted due to insecurity in Baringo County. According to the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) Baringo branch, 18 other institutions have been closed indefinitely in Baringo South and Baringo North sub-counties.The attacks, which have persisted for the past 10 years, have led to scores of deaths and the displacement of more than 5,000 people.

Knut branch executive secretary Charles Kamuren accused the government of failing to beef up security.“The lives of these pupils have completely been ruined. I wonder how they are expected to compete with their counterparts in other parts of the country under such harsh conditions. “Some schools will require reconstruction after they were vandalised by the raiders,” Mr Kamuren told the Nation.

Many parents were no longer able to pay school fees after all their livestock — their main source of livelihood — were driven away by the raiders, the unionist said.

County Commissioner Peter Okwanyo and County Director of Education Daniel Mosbei, who toured the affected schools last week, said the government was doing everything possible to ensure that they reopen next term.

“The government has already secured the volatile areas and we call on the affected residents to go back home and begin their lives afresh.All the schools will be provided with enough security to avert further disruption of learning,” said Mr Okwanyo.

More than 200 security officers have pitched camp at Kapindasum in Baringo Sub-County to flush out herders, who moved into the area in search of water and pasture.

Mr Kamuren warned that should the affected schools not reopen next term, they would hold demonstrations. “It is very disappointing for our children to have to stay at home for a whole term when their colleagues are in school.”

He said many teachers were seeking transfers from the region.Meanwhile, an initiative has been launched to promote peace through sports. The Sports with a Goal Africa programme aims to promote harmony among the warring communities.

On Saturday, more than 20 schools from six sub-counties gathered at Kabarnet High School for the launch.

Governor Benjamin Cheboi said sports was an effective way of uniting diverse ethnic communities.

“Most of our schools in the cattle rustling-prone areas did not open this term due to the frequent bandit attacks and this is the best opportunity to unite the rival communities to coexist peacefully so that our children can go back to school,” said Mr Cheboi.

Last week, he said the residents of cattle rustling-prone parts of the county would be forced to take up arms if the national government fails to end the raids. “The rampant cases of insecurity have reached alarming levels, which now call for tough measures,” Mr Cheboi said.

In Baringo North, where two people were killed last week, a series of attacks over the past one month have displaced hundreds of residents of Chemoe, Ng’aratuko, Yatya, Chepkesin Loruk and Kagir.

Bandits have resorted to torching deserted houses and vandalising school property such as solar panels and boreholes.

Baringo South MP Grace Kipchoim said they were compiling a list of all the residents affected by the insecurity. The MP and Mr Amos Olempaka, a local resident, presented a memorandum to Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery when he toured the region last week.

They said the government should assist the people displaced by the cattle raiders as it had done for those who were displaced from their homes by the 2007/2008 post-election violence.

Reference : www.nation.co.ke