West Pokot Senator Prof. John Longanyapuo has sensationally linked Deputy President William Ruto as the recruiter of a deadly militia that is targeting members of the Pokot community.
Longanyangapuo stated that the DP’s move to recruit reservists to deal with insecurity in the Kerio Valley was done without merit and vetting.
The West Pokot Senator claimed the reservists were exclusively from one community despite the fact that the violence had affected members of all the tribes living near the Kerio Valley.
“It is like hiring a militia group to target one community. The DP has failed to involve the Pokot community in efforts to resolve the conflict in Kerio Valley.
“They were hired on a Friday and given uniforms followed by guns the next Monday. That is a risky move," Longangapuo stated.
The vocal KANU Senator accused the deputy president of deliberately sidelining the Pokot leaders with the intention of making sure that they are seen as the aggressors.
Ruto had last week issued a shoot-to-kill order after bandits killed a chief standing 50 to 60 metres from him during a tour, disrupting the visit and delaying his chopper's take-off.
On Monday, the DP presided over the arming of 2400 reservists who will help the police in peace maintenance.
