Isaih Lucheli
16 March 2008
Nairobi — The combined operation by the army and paramilitary police in Mt Elgon is perhaps the biggest operation since the war against the Shifta of the Northern frontier district in the 1980s.
The soldiers, who have established their base at Kapkoto Primary School, have been pursuing members of the Sabaot Land Defence Force (SLDF) using air and ground operations.
The operation by the army comes after an earlier one by the General Service Unit (GSU), six months ago, that failed to flush out the gang.
When the military choppers were first spotted in Cheptais and Kopsiro divisions, elated villagers celebrated.
Mr Peter Kirwa says when the choppers and the military trucks arrived, villagers were hopeful.
But the elation was short-lived. Kirwa accuses the military officers of failing to draw the line between the local man and the militia. He says everyone became a target and casualty when the operation got under way.
"The no nonsense soldiers swooped on villages in Cheptais and Kopsiro divisions at dawn as scared residents ran for their dear lives," says Kirwa.
Mr Kiberenge arap Ndiwa, who fled from Chesiro immediately the operation began, said he took off when he saw helicopters bombing hills.
"I am an old man and all my life I had never seen anything like this. I fled from Chebyuk Scheme because of violence and before I settled down, another raid took place," says Ndiwa.
The operation was launched from the Southern end of Mt Elgon District, an area the Government believes is stronghold of SLDF.
All the suspected ringleaders of the gang - whose pictures have been circulated and are wanted for promoting war like activities - come from Cheptais division, where the military has pitched tent.
The gang leaders being sought include Wycliffe Matekwoi and Nathan Wasama, a councillor.
Most of the killings attributed to members of the group have taken place in Kopsiro and Cheptais divisions.
Following the military operation an assistant chief, Kenya National Union of Teacher officials, an education officer and a deputy officer commanding police station (OCS) are among the 189 people arrested.
More than 9,000 people have fled the district since the military operation began.
Market centres and homes are deserted. Men are the worst affected as most of them are being arrested for questioning.
Chebkube, Kang'ang'a and Taigut are now ghost market centres.
More than 1,000 men from Cheptais were rounded up and taken to Kapkoto military camp for vetting.
Mr Bramwel Chesebe, who was among those rounded up and beaten, says both the elderly and the young were indiscriminately arrested.
"Young and elderly men were rounded up in Cheptais and taken to the military camp. We were forced to lie down before being screened," says Chesebe.
He says the screening entailed testing whether one had knowledge in the handling of guns or was an informer of the SLDF.
Since the operation started the military have been using helicopters to bombard Marigo, Chebwek, Kaberwa and Kaptogoi areas.
Women and children coiled in fear as they fled from loud explosions that rocked the slopes of Mt Elgon.
Women complained that life in the district was becoming unbearable.
"What crime have we committed to warrant this kind of attack and harassment? Since the disputed land allocation life has never been the same," said Ms Maria Chemsto.
Journalist not spared
Several people have been killed during the operation, including a student. The number of people killed in the forest is not known as human rights groups and the media have been denied access to the areas. Military personnel beat up three journalists who attempted to venture in the operation zone.
When contacted the Western PC Mr Abdul Mwasera confirmed the arrests and says the media had been barred from the area.
"The media were barred from covering the operation to allow the soldiers to do their work without interference," says Mwasera.
The Western Provincial Police Officer, Mr Francis Munyambu, said the operation had led to the recovery of military uniforms.
The uniforms, says Munyambu, were recovered in a cave in Kamuset, near Chebkube market on the Kenya Uganda border.
The fighting started when residents differed over the allocation of land in Chebyuk Settlement Scheme. It was alleged that locals had been overlooked.
The Ndorobo, who used to reside in the forest, claimed that land had been given to the Soi and yet the area was hived off the forest - their home until they were evicted and moved to the reserve by the Government.
The Chebyuk Scheme was set aside by the Government in 1971 for the settlement of 600 Ndorobo families. Each family was to get 21 acres.
The allocation exercise has been suspended thrice due to alleged corruption and political interference as the number of people.
Of the 7,500 applicants only 1,732 squatters were allocated two and a half acres, sparking an outcry of a flawed exercise.
Those opposed to the allocations armed themselves under the banner of SLDF and took refuge in Mt Elgon forest.
Mwasera is upbeat that the operation will deal a deathblow to the militia.
"We are going to wipe them out and ensure that peace returns to Mt Elgon after more than two years of mayhem," says Mwasera.
Asked about the involvement of the military and the heavy armour they were using, the PC says it was necessary because past operations had yielded nothing.
The MP for Mt Elgon, Mr Fred Kapondi, is furious with the manner in which the exercise is being conducted.
He said the attacks on the civilians should end and questioned why the military helicopters had allegedly bombed the banks of Cheptais and Lwakhakha rivers.
"They are targeting populated areas instead of rounding up the militia who operate from the forest. They should concentrate their operation in the forests," said Kapondi.
The security forces have deployed canon gunners, attack helicopter gunships and other military hardware ferried to the region in Kenya Army trucks.
They assembled at Eldoret airstrip last Sunday evening for briefing before embarking on the exercise whose duration is yet to be established.
Trucks full of soldiers and military hardware rumbled into the district at dawn before aerial attacks began in Kopsiro and Cheptais.
Among the equipment seen at the Eldoret airstrip on Sunday were six helicopters, more than 40 trucks, ambulances, and canons towed by Land Rover jeeps.
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