The Controversies Surrounding Tiaty MP Asman Abang’otum Kamama

Tiaty Member of Parliament (MP) Asman Abang’otum Kamama is once again on the spot – this time around for the brutal murder of two ODM politicians, a Member of County Assembly and an aspiring MP.

Kamama has been blamed for the killing of Tiaty Constituency Parliamentary aspirant, Pepee Kitambaa, and Loyamorok Member of the County Assembly (MCA), Kibet Cheretei who were shot dead at a nightclub in Marigat town at 3:00 am Saturday.

According to Mr Kitambaa’s family, Kamama, who is an official in President Uhuru Kenyatta's campaign team in Rift Valley and also the National Assembly Security Committee chairman, is the first suspect and should be probed in connection with the killings.

However, speaking after the saddening news broke, Kamama vehemently denied allegations linking him to the murder of the two, saying he too, according to intelligence reports, is being targeted by the assassins.

To keen political followers, the Tiaty MP is a man not new to controversy and this could perhaps be why he has been blamed for the latest incident in the volatile Baringo area.

Since Kama's election in 2013, his name has always been mentioned every time bandit raids occur in Baringo and the larger pastoralists regions of Kerio Valley, Samburu, Laikipia and Turkana.

He has also been accused of using his powers in the security committee to arm members of his community with guns and ammunition.

Numerous attempts have been made to try and have the lawmaker held responsible for the recurrent attacks in his political backyard but the efforts bear no fruit, ostensibly due to the powerful links he has with the Executive. 

In December 2013, President Uhuru Kenyatta had to buy Kamama 20 goats at Sh160,000 as a gesture to end cattle rustling perpetrated by Kamama's Pokot community.

“I have bought 20 goats for Kamama, halafu hiyo maneno ingine nisisikie tena (let me not hear of the other matter again),” the president said at the Kimalel goat auction.


Goats at the Kimalel auction 

Kamama’s constituency is inhabited by Pokots, who have historically engaged in attacks and counter-attacks in Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet, Turkana, Samburu and Laikipia counties. 

The attacks have led to the Tugen, Ilchamus and Pokot, all neighbours inhabiting Baringo County, to live in mutual hatred, while discreetly arming themselves and engaging in bloody fights occasionally.

Victims of the attacks by the Pokot blame Kamama who rose from a teacher in 1980s at Chemolingot High School to a District Officer (DO1) from 1992 before switching to politics in 2002.

In May 2014, a vote of no confidence was introduced against the Tiaty lawmaker and he was to be axed from his current position as chairman of the powerful House team on National Security.
Owing to his strong connections, the motion did not sail through.

In 2015, Turkana County Women’s representative Joyce Emanikor called for Kamama’s sacking claiming he had failed to tame runaway crime in Baringo, Samburu and Pokot and that he was part of the problem.

Kamama, however, overcame that storm insisting that everything was under control.

On several occasions in 2016, an accusing finger was pointed at him over attacks that occurred during the year.  In May 2016, residents of Chemoriongon area in Baringo County marched to the District Headquarters to demand for the removal Kamama from the security docket due to what they termed as laxity in dealing with cattle rustling.

Meanwhile, the murder of the two politicians has been largely blamed on the local politics and is now threatening to spark a wave of violent chaos in the area which is notorious for inter-community clashes.

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