Land injustice leads to re-birth of SLDF A lobby, the Western Rights Human Watch, has said failure to implement a lands injustices task forces report has led to the regrouping of militia in Mt Elgon. Speaking in his office yesterday, director Job Bwonya, said the state has turned a deaf ear to recommendations of the Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission report. The report gave solutions to causes of the Sabaot Land Defense Force militia formation in Mt Elgon and how to finish them, he said. “The TJRC report had answers to all the problems of Mt Elgon,” said Bwonya. The report recommended the prosecution of individuals who financed, planned and instigated violence through militia in Mt Elgon. They include former MP Fred Kapondi, MP John Serut and spiritual leader Jackson Psongowyo, who allegedly organised oath-taking drives for the militia. Psongyowo died after a long illness after he was jailed at the Bungoma GK Prison. The report recommended that the state compensates victims of the clashes that saw 1,200 killed and more than 10,000 displaced in 2007. The report among other things suggested that the government sets up a trauma and healing centre in the area. “The people who fuelled the initial violence are free,” he said. Kapondi was earlier charged with inciting violence, murder and promoting war-like activities. He was later released by a Bungoma court for lack of evidence. Security operatives led by Bungoma county commissioner Maalim Mohammed have raised fears that the group could be regrouping. Mohammed gave the youth a 30-day ultimatum to voluntarily surrender guns to security forces.
Posted on: Sat, 12 Jul 2014 13:16:15 +0000
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