Nairobi — Guns from Mt Elgon and an employee of Eldoret bullet factory assisted the gangs who unleashed violence in the North Rift, the Waki commission report reveals.

It lays bare an intricate plan, design and execution of the violence in the area that attracted the country's and world's attention when women and children were burnt alive in a church.

The report, on the basis of evidence given by witnesses, indicates that politicians and athletes from the region worked closely with raiders who attacked, burned houses and commercial buildings and in the process killed more than 205 people.

Intelligence reports, the Waki team says, showed that supporters of a political party were planning to raid Ngano factory--the bullet makers-- to steal ammunition to assist in their cause.

They were also to seek the assistance of military personnel guarding the factory to teach the youths on how to use the munitions.

"Later on 4 January they (NSIS) identified an employee of the bullet factory in Eldoret as the leader of youth groups involved in the violence there, further claiming that they shared a password to be used to mobilize them for attack," it states.

Secret sites

The same employee was training the youths to handle the firearms at secret sites in Sigowet Forest near Moiben and Kerio Valley, the report says.

"On 8 January 2008, the NSIS situation report identified an employee of the Eldoret Bullet Factory as a trainer of the youth in the handling of firearms, use of grenades, and the destruction of buildings, naming some of the training sites as being in the Sigowet Forest and Kerio Valley," the report says.

The Waki report quotes heavily from the National Security Intelligence Service (NSIS) showing how the residents of North Rift, especially Uasin Gishu district executed the chaos.

"It can be argued that these NSIS reports point to the possibility that the post election violence was concerted and a product of organisation and planning, although this does not preclude the possibility that some of the violence was spontaneous as well," it states.

Apart from major cities and Naivasha, the North Rift districts of Uasin Gishu, Trans Nzoia West, Trans Nzoia East, Nandi North, Nandi South, Marakwet, Keiyo, Baringo North and Baringo South were rocked heavily with the violence.

The report, which was handed to President Kibaki last Monday, identifies Uasin Gishu and Trans Nzoia districts as the focal point of the post-election violence in the region. Targeted in the regions were the Kikuyus, Luhyas and Kisiis who had settled among the Kalenjins.

"The evidence made available to the Commission in relation to those districts is examined below, but more so, in relation to Uasin Gishu and Trans Nzoia which experienced the epicentre of the post election violence in that region," it says.

Marauding gangs

The report notes that between 1,000 and 6,000 Kalenjin youths, who it describes as marauding gangs, were armed to perpetrate the violence.

It states that the tools of their trade were machetes, bows and poisonous arrows, occasionally firearms, matches and petrol-filled projectiles.

"These menacing gangs blocked and manned a variety of roads with tree trunks and huge rocks, some of which were transported by tractors, throughout the district.

"They also burned vehicles and tyres while refusing to allow anyone to pass as well as engaging in killing, rioting, and looting," the report reveals.

Elders, politicians, former policemen and some employees of the Eldoret Bullet factory are linked by the report to the activities of the gangs.

One of the witnesses referred to meetings held by a prominent politician, a lawyer and an elder to plan the attacks.

The witness who comes from the region said that a meeting attended by some athletes and a prominent politician was held on December 23rd to lay ground for the attacks immediately it was announced that President Kibaki had won the elections.

"He (witness) also claimed that on 23rd December a meeting between some athletes and a prominent politician, whose name he mentioned was held 'to prepare the youth for war' once they knew President Kibaki was winning," it notes.

Getting guns

The preparation, it was explained, involved getting guns from the militia group that has been tormenting residents of Mt Elgon.

It also involved tapping the services of retired police officers on the use of the guns. Bows and arrows, the report says, were sourced from Marakwet district.

"He (the witness) said that after this meeting an elder informed them he was going to get guns from a friend in Mt Elgon and that a retired policeman would assist with using the guns and that somebody from Marakwet district was sent to purchase bows and arrows from there," the report reveals.

A meeting that approved the attacks, the witness told the commission, was held on December 28th while another one was held on January 27th to make sure that the violence was to persist.

"The witness also testified that on 27th January 2008, the MP held closed door meetings at his house, promising to go on with the violence, after which the road to Eldoret town was blocked and the violence went on.

He said he was willing to mention the names of persons he was referring to and information concerning the vehicles that were used to transport the youth," the report narrates.

Warnings

During this time, the report states that the NSIS intensified its warnings about the attacks and the way they were being organised.

The security briefs revealed that prominent Kalenjin personalities were funding the activities of the youth.