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Govt suspends land allocations in Mt Elgon
By BARRY SALIL
KENYA TIMES
20. April 2007
THE Government has with immediate effect suspended the controversial land allocations at the troubled Chepyuk settlement scheme in Mt Elgon district, in an effort to end land clashes.
At the same time, a committee of 60 elders drawn from the two warring clans of the Soy and the Dorobo (Mosop) was appointed to help vet all squatters before new allocation exercise was put in place.
A Government security team headed by the Security minister, John Michuki, Lands acting minister, Prof Kivutha Kibwana, Security Permanent Secretary, Cyrus Gituai and the entire Western Province security team, which toured the violence-hit district also ordered members of the Sabaot Land Defence Force (SLDF) to surrender.
The two ministers had visited the region to have a first-hand information from the region that has largely been blamed on a shadowy militia group calling itself the SLDF on the residents, mostly women and children.
The Chebyuk settlement scheme has been at the centre of the controversy that has pitted the local communities against each other.
Michuki said an amnesty would be granted to all those who surrender their guns voluntarily, adding that a Sh50,000 reward would be given to those heeded the directive.
Earlier, the two ministers held a closed-door meeting with the Sabaot elders at the Kapsokwomy High school, which was attended by the area Member of Parliament, John Serut and former MPs Wilberforce Kisiero and Joseph Kimkung, where it was resolved among other things, to use all efforts to end the skirmishes. Michuki told members of the Provincial Administration among them chiefs and their assistants, to help the Government end the clashes that had claimed 150 lives and left over 40,000 displaced.
The ministers appealed to the elders to be fair to all and avoid partisan and personal interests in the vetting exercise, which should be concluded in three months to pave way for fresh allocations.
The elders would be joined by former and the incumbent MPs, Western Provincial Commissioner Abdul Mwasera and religious leaders.
The group is expected to give a list of genuine people who should benefit from the expansive Chepyuk phase three where the dispute pitting the Soy and the Dorobo clans of the Sabaot community comes.
The leaders also addressed a public rally at Kapsokwony grounds, which was attended by thousands of the residents of Mt Elgon held under heavy security by a combine force of General Service Unit personnel, regular and administration police.
It was the first time a Cabinet minister was visiting the clash-torn district since the conflict started. A week ago, Kibwana cancelled a tour after members of the SLDF struck the area and killed three people among them a pastor.
However, First Lady Lucy Kibaki toured the area where she distributed food and called for an end of blood letting in Mt Elgon district.
Ms Kibaki regretted particularly over attacks that targeted women and young children and appealed for restrain among the warring factions saying the government would address the problems
boldly.
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