|
Raiders looting food in Mt Elgon
THE STANDARD
02. May 2007
By Stephen Makabila
Raiders in troubled Mt Elgon District are now looting foodstuffs and money from local residents.
Area police commander, Mr David Makokha, told The Standard the looters could be starving inside the forest.
"Acts of looting foodstuffs and money from local residents have increased in the past one week. We are pursuing six key suspects believed to be co-ordinating the looting," said Makokha.
Makokha said the latest incident was on Monday night at Kutero village along the Mt Elgon and Bungoma West District border, where residents lost money and foodstuffs to the raiders.
"The raiders intimidate the residents and then steal food," he said.
Over 40,000 residents have been displaced and about 150 left dead by the clashes over land allocation at the Chebyuk settlement scheme.
The clashes, which started almost seven months ago, have also paralysed economic activities in most parts of the district and disrupted schooling.
The displaced are camping at market centres and are depending on food donations from the Government, churches and other humanitarian organisations.
A Government amnesty extended to the members of the Sabaot Land Defence Force (SLDF) to surrender flopped last month, even after Internal Security minister, Mr John Michuki, and First Lady Lucy Kibaki visited the area and urged them to down their
tools.
|
