Baringo county residents have said they will not welcome DP William Ruto when he makes his visit to the area on Friday.
They said they will instead attend the burial of a teacher who is among those killed by Pokot bandits amid ongoing attacks.
More than 1,000 residents, among them 300 teachers protested in Marigat on Thursday, saying Ruto’s visit will not make any impact.
Knut Baringo branch executive chair Joshua Cheptarus said instead of waiting to listen Ruto’s speech, they will come together to bury the late Kapndasum teacher Philemon Kipkemoi.
“We have already lost six people including two teachers. We are expecting President Uhuru Kenyatta himself to come and address the serious issue – not his deputy,” Cheptarus said.
He said people have already lost hope in the Jubilee government.
“It will take the heart and spirit of the President himself to come and restore trust of the Baringo residents,” he added.
Chanting ‘solidarity forever’ and marching in Marigat town for close to an hour, the residents asked the government to consider deploying the military to tackle insecurity.
They said police officers have been defeated as banditry intensifies.
“We cannot continue burying our people every day. We need to be told if the government is defeated to disarm the Pokots then they can allow Baringo residents, including teachers, have their own guns to protect themselves,” Cheptarus said.
Tekelon MCA Vincent Kiror also called for a boycott of the DP’s visit.
“First of all he has not fulfilled his 2013 campaign agenda that banditry will be a thing of the past,” Kiror said.
The protest took place as Devolution CS Mwangi Kiunjuri visited the county to deliver foodstuff to hunger-stricken residents in Baringo North, South and Tiaty subcounties.
County commissioner Peter Okwanyo asked residents to let the government address insecurity.
“We are going to use force to drive back all the Pokots grazing their animals across the borders of Baringo North and South,” he said.
He also said the government is committed to providing enough foodstuff and water to the victims of hunger.
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