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Lucy asks militia to surrender weapons
Story by NATION Team
Publication Date: 4/17/2007
First Lady Lucy Kibaki yesterday visited the clash-hit Mt Elgon District and appealed to combatants to cease hostilities and surrender their weapons to authorities.
The First Lady told residents to refuse to be incited into violence by people she described as self seekers out to gain political mileage.
Isolate residents
She cautioned that violence could isolate the residents from the rest of the country.
Mrs Kibaki also asked the Government to give amnesty to those turning in weapons.
“No one has the right to take the life of another person and any grievances over resettlement at Chebyuk should be resolved by established government machinery.”
Mrs Kibaki pointed out that even in the African tradition, it was a taboo to take one’s life and urged local religious and political leaders to seek a peaceful solution to the clashes.
She was speaking at Kopsiro divisional headquarters when she consoled clash victims.
The First Lady regretted that the clashes were a major draw back to development as they had disrupted normal life and economic activity.
Political interests
She led the gathering in declaring that they would not let leaders to set brother against brother in pursuit of narrow political interests.
The First Lady said the country could not afford to have internal refugees and urged the Government to return displaced families to their homes.
She distributed sugar, beans, rice, maize, tea leaves, salt, cooking oil and blankets to the families.
Western provincial commissioner Abdul Mwasera again announced the suspension of resettlement at Chebyuk settlement scheme for a month to allow dialogue.
The PC put the death toll at 73 people though relief organisations say more than 150 have killed in the violence. Mr Mwasera said 10,000 people had been displaced and 600 police officers sent to the area.
However, human rights groups have accused the officers of using excessive force in their bid to restore calm.
The groups which included the Kenya Human Rights Commission, Social Reform Centre and the North Rift Human Rights Network, said women and children were the most affected.
Expected results
Further, they criticised the Government of using the wrong method to quell the chaos.
“The amnesty offered by Government to recover illegal arms may not yield the expected results because it has not been done in a structured way. It is also not offering anything in return to the communities,” said KHRC official Beatrice Kamau.
The First Lady said she was ready to request the President to visit the
area.
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