The Catholic Justice and Peace Commission (CJPC) says curfew imposed by government along the Kerio Valley has helped improve security.
CJPC Eldoret Catholic Diocese coordinator Samuel Kosgey says since the curfew was effected, cases of bandit attacks and killings had drastically dropped.
Interior and National Coordination Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the volatile region about two months ago.
Matiang’i also recently extended the curfew for a further month.
“There has been calm in Kerio Valley because of the ongoing security operation and to some extend because people are tired of the attacks,” Kosgey told uasingishunews.co.ke on Friday, July 8, 2022.
He, however, said there were still a few incidences of cattle theft in some parts of the Kerio Valley belt.
But even as the curfew has had positive impact in terms of addressing insecurity, it has also created another challenge to locals.
Kosgey points out that with locals only having 12 hours to do their daily activities, acess to food has been a challenge to some of those living in the region.
“Some people that used to work deep into the night to get food cannot do that anymore, and this means a number of them are facing hunger because of restricted movement,” said the CJPC coordinator.
On the question of whether the bandits have now agreed to reform or not, he says it is a matter of wait and see.
“We don’t know if the attackers had reformed or fled away. The actual impact of curfew and the ongoing operation can only be measured once the curfew is lifted,” noted the Eldoret Catholic Diocese CJPC coordinator.
The government opted to impose curfew in Kerio Valley following increased cases of bandit attacks and killings in the region that had caused an uproar amongst locals, leaders and civil society groups.
Civil Society groups operating in the area had said within the last six months, over 100 people had been killed due to banditry including women and children.
There were also concerns over the attackers targeting schools and children.
