Banditry Crisis: Wetang'ula calls for peace talks as MPs mourn General Ogolla

The speaker of the National Assembly has called on leaders from the North Rift region to engage in peace talks with their communities to bring an end to cattle rustling and banditry in the region.

Speaking during a Special session to pay tribute to the fallen Chief of Defence Forces General Francis Ogolla and his colleagues, Speaker Moses Wetang'ula told the leaders to take their time to talk to the bandits whom he referred to as "young people wielding Kalashnikovs and G3s" out of the crime.

Addressing MPs from the affected counties of Elgeyo Marakwet, West Pokot, Baringo, Laikipia, Samburu, Turkana, and others, Wetang'ula emphasized the importance of proactive dialogue to address the root causes of violence.

"If we did not have peace challenges in those regions, the General would not have gone there to help construct special schools under special circumstances," he said, adding that the people killing each other are constituents who mainly need guidance to take a better direction in life.

"Take a moment, talk to them, take them to school, reform them, give them alternatives other than rustling and killing each other... The leadership must start from this house," he said.

He further pledged to support proposals for the amendment of the existing laws in efforts to end the vice. "If you want to amend the law to give you an opportunity to spend part of your CDF funds on security issues, so be it."

General Ogolla died alongside; Brigadier Swale Saidi, Colonel Duncan Keittany, Lieutenant Colonel David Sawe, Major George Benson Magondu (the pilot), Captain Sora Mohamed, Captain Hillary Litali, Senior Sergeant John Kinyua Mureithi, Sergeant Cliphonce Omondi, and Sergeant Rose Nyawira following a helicopter crash on Thursday afternoon.

The crash occurred during a visit to the North Rift region where the Kenya Defence Forces are assisting the police in a joint operation seeking to end cattle rustling and banditry that have plagued the region for decades.

𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗹𝘆 𝗣𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗧𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗗𝗙 𝗢𝗴𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗮, 𝗙𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗵

The National Assembly has eulogized Gen. Francis Omondi Ogolla, Chief of the Defence Forces, and nine service members who died… pic.twitter.com/O2wuBpox2X

— National Assembly KE (@NAssemblyKE) April 23, 2024

Calls for probe

During the special session, the MPs condoled with the bereaved families, sustained calls for a thorough probe into the crash and called for increased budgetary allocations towards military operations.

Defence Committee Chairperson Nelson Koech said the death of General Ogolla highlights what KDF soldiers go through and promised that his committee will endeavour to find out what caused the crash.

"He laid his life in pursuit of peace, it is important to start scrutinizing to see what can be done so that the welfare of our soldiers can be catered for," said Koech.

Two days before the crash, the assembly had adjourned a motion relating to the banditry menace and now, according to Dagoretti North MP Beatrice Elachi, the motion would be returned to the house.

"I want to plead with the people of the North Rift, I think it is time you look at yourselves in the mirror, go home, make peace and make that area work," she said.

Moyale MP Professor Jaldesa Waqo called for support to the bereaved families. "I think the government should take some affirmative action not just to compensate them but also ensure that their lives are not ruined," he said.

On her part, Lamu East MP Obo Ruweida Mohamed recalled having held a meeting with General Ogolla on April 11, during which he promised to visit Lamu in effort to ensure lasting peace in the area.

"In Lamu, it pains us more when something bad happens to the Kenya Defence Forces. Lamu East is the only constituency where teachers have to be ferried to school by KDF. I was not surprised that General Ogolla had gone to inspect the schools because he had told me he would visit Lamu East and tour the area around Boni forest. May God fill the gap he has left," she said.

Endebess MP Robert Pukose, on the other hand, noted that issues of cattle rustling are very emotive issues. "We hope that the government will deal with it once and for all."

Last week, a bill passed by the Senate went through its first reading at the National Assembly setting the stage for its implementation.

New bill

The Prevention of Livestock and Produce Theft, 2023 co-sponsored by North Imenti MP Rahim Dawood and Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei seeks to provide a framework for the establishment of mechanisms for preventing, combating and eventually eradicating livestock and produce theft that have fanned banditry in the North Rift region, prompting the government to kick off Operation Maliza Uhalifu.

It proposes that all livestock be branded and issued with permits during their movement from one location to another, in efforts to facilitate tracing and recovery of stolen livestock in the country.

Despite the existence of the Stock and Produce Theft Act and provisions under the Penal Code prohibiting livestock and produce theft, the practice has continued making it necessary to address it comprehensively, Parliament noted on Tuesday after the bill underwent its first reading.

The bill proposes to create several offences relating to livestock and produce theft and imposes stiffer penalties on the commission of the offences.

"Where, for the purpose of stealing any livestock or produce, or in the course of stealing any livestock or produce, violence or the threat of violence is used, such a person is liable, on conviction, to a life term of imprisonment," part of the Bill states.

It adds that a person who steals or receives stolen livestock or produce shall have committed an offence punishable by 20 years imprisonment.

The bill will further obligate both the National and County governments to put in place measures that not only protect livestock-keeping communities from livestock theft but also enhance the socio-economic welfare of these communities through education and the promotion of alternative means of livelihoods.