All preparations for the North Rift Economic Bloc (NOREB), two days peace summit have been concluded.
The summit scheduled to run from Thursday to Friday will bring together eight Nort Rift Governors and over 500 peace stakeholders who will converge at the Kitale Club in Trans Nzoia County.
Speaking to the media in Kitale town on Wednesday, Trans Nzoia County Governor George Natembeya said the stakeholders will explore measures and ways of restoring sanity in the banditry-affected Kerio Valley.
“We shall discuss how best to deal with banditry in Kerio Valley. This is informed by the fact that despite the ongoing joint operation in the Valley, guns have not been silenced,” Natembeya said.
The governor who chairs who chairs the Peace and Agriculture Committee in the bloc said the stakeholders will come up with resolutions that they will implement.
“You all know we have had insecurity in Kerio Valley and the border. We want to use this peace summit to bring lasting solution to the situation in the Valley,” he added.
Sports for peace
In addition, Natembeya said the summit will employ a number of peaceful strategies in the journey to make the Valley peaceful.
“We are going to use sports to bring together people from warring community who will display their unique talents and culminate in inter-county sports competitions,” he noted.
He also revealed that there is direct relationship between illiteracy and insecurity.
“We shall ensure that we bring education close to the people and make it more affordable so that children do not drop out of school,” he said.
The former Rift Valley Regional Commissioner further urged the residents of Kerio Valley to diversify their sources of income.
“Competition for resources especially water is one of the causes of conflict in the Valley. We want to educate our people the importance of diversifying their sources of income.”
Speaking at a separate event, Kapenguria Member of Parliament Samuel Moroto said the government should have mega development projects in Kerio Valley.
“Our people have been sidelined in terms of development for the longest period. It is high time the government give us our rightful share so that our people can enjoy development like the rest of the people in the Country,” Moroto said.
Kerio Valley has been troubled for the longest period. Many lives have been lost, several civilians injured and many families displaced.
This forced President William Ruto to order the Kenya Defence Forces KDF to conduct a joint security operation with the police in the banditry prone Valley.
