fPcN interCultural:

friends of Peoples close to Nature

Sir, we hereby call for government’s, urgent and immediate, action to arm Sengwer indigenous peoples living along Cherangany hills with atleast 300 guns (100 guns each in West Pokot, Marakwet and Trans Nzoia) to enable the community fight against the increasing cattle rustling that has hit Talau (West Pokot), Kapolet (Trans Nzoia) and Rogorr (Marakwet). The community is getting concerned since there’s very little action taken by the government even after being provided with reliable intelligence reports.
SENGWER ETHNIC MINORITY HUNTER-GATHERER INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
P.O. Box 3894, Kitale 30200 – Kenya

20th April 2005

Permanent Secretary,
Ministry of Provincial Administration and National Security,
Harambee House, Office of The President,
P.O. Box
Nairobi.

Dear Sir,

Ref: Deterioration of Security in Cherangany Hills around Kapolet Forest in Trans Nzoia district
Arm Sengwer Indigenous Peoples with guns to guard their lives and Property

Sir, we hereby call for government’s, urgent and immediate, action to arm Sengwer indigenous peoples living along Cherangany hills with atleast 300 guns (100 guns each in West Pokot, Marakwet and Trans Nzoia) to enable the community fight against the increasing cattle rustling that has hit Talau (West Pokot), Kapolet (Trans Nzoia) and Rogorr (Marakwet). The community is getting concerned since there’s very little action taken by the government even after being provided with reliable intelligence reports.

Why we are worried:-

i) Cattle rustling has been taking place in Talau area on 24.2.05, 28.2.05, 25.3.05 (2 families), 26.3.05
ii) In March 2005 2 Forest guards shot dead by cattle rustlers
iii) On 5th April 2005 at around 4.30 p.m. over 50 cattle rustlers armed with AK 47 rifles descended on Sengwer in Kapolet forest and drove over 20 herd of cattle, sheep and donkeys. Killed one person
iv) On 19th April 2005 between 5.00 a.m. – 8.00 a.m. over 50 cattle rustlers armed with AK 47 rifles attacked Kapolet and Kahuho area and went with 29 cattle, 61 sheep and 9 donkeys

The community members have been providing intelligence reports to the administration and even give names of suspects, but it seems the information from poor Sengwer peoples is not given much attention.

Problems of Police officers:-

i) Kapolet is a forest which is continuously attached to Kipteperr and Kapkanyar forests
ii) They have G3 rifles while the rustlers are armed with AK 47 rifles
iii) Lack of food supply as they pursue the rustlers

Forget Not:-

The Pokot community is using cattle rustling as a tool to chase other communities in the region – they want other peoples land by force. To support this On 28th October 2000 at Mtelo Hall in West Pokot district when the COMMISSION OF INQUIRY INTO THE LAND LAW SYSTEM OF KENYA, THE COMMISSION OF INQUIRY ACT (CAP.102 - LAWS OF KENYA) visited the district to collect views. Sengwer community members presented their views orally and written memoranda. Pokot leaders threatened us. They said we are squatters and aliens to the district. The leaders said they’d continue stealing cattle until they are given their land in Trans Nzoia. Besides, they warned us that they will steal our cattle as a polite way of saying get out of the district. An Assistant Minister, Mayor of Kapenguria Municipal Council both Pokot and many others threatened us. The Pokot leaders said all these threatening words before the Commissioners of the Land Review, the District Security Team and other top government officials. No action has been taken till this date and in August 2004 at Kenya School of Monetary Studies during the ongoing National Land Policy Formulation Process a Pokot leader who was participating in the workshop said that Cattle rustling is not cattle rustling but land rustling referring to Cattle rustling by Pokot cattle rustlers.

Sengwer peoples request for:-

i) 300 guns (KPR/Home guards) to effectively support the police in pursuing the rustlers. Sengwer peoples have the courage to pursue the rustlers in and out of the forests 1 finger cannot kill a lice, said Hon Michuki, Minister for Provincial Administration and National Security on 16th April 2005 at Kapsara Tea Factory in Trans Nzoia. Hence, we are ready to support the government in the fight against cattle rustlers
ii) Immediate arrest of all suspects whose names have been forwarded to the security personnel
iii) Convene, urgently, a security meeting that will bring together Security team and leaders from Trans Nzoia, Marakwet, West Pokot and affected tribes (Kikuyu, Luhya, Sengwer, Marakwet, etc)
iv) Drive out, immediately, cattle grazing in Kapkanyar and Kipteperr forests
v) Kenya Army helicopters should be deployed to support police officers pursuing the rustlers
vi) Increase administration police and anti-stock theft unit officers in Talau, Koipos, Kapolet, Rogorr and Kapirech areas
vii) Arm administration and regular police officers with modern rifles e.g. AK 47
viii) Install police radio calls in Kapolet, Rogorr and Kapirech

Finally

May God help our country Kenya.

We look forward for your acknowledgement and action.

Thanks.

Yours Faithfully,

On behalf of Sengwer Indigenous Peoples

Charles K Kiberen
Member
Sengwer Land Allocation Committee

David Yator Kiptum
Executive Coordinator
Sengwer Indigenous Development Project
Note: *Also called Cherangany or Dorobo. Sengwer community is characterized by unrecognition, oppression, torture, discrimination, insecurity, landlessness, poverty, hopelessness, powerlessness, mal-representation and marginalization

Region

• East Africa

Tags

• Conservation

Tribe

• Sengwer