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Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka has directed the ministry of Special Programmes and leaders in Turkana to urgently explore ways and means of solving the misunderstanding pitting some Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) operating in the area over distribution of relief food in the county.
Mr. Musyoka said there is need for the NGOs to amicably agree on which one of them should be the lead agency in the distribution of relief food to starving residents in the area.
"It is time the Ministry of Special Programmes chips in as a matter of urgency to resolve the misunderstanding between the World Vision, Red Cross and the World Food Programme on who should be the lead agency in the distribution of food in this district,'' said Mr. Musyoka.
He said there is no need for the residents to be subjected to untold suffering because of misunderstandings on which organization should act as the lead agency in food distribution in the area.
Speaking during the burial of the late former District Commissioner on Saturday, Daudi Ekuam which was held at his rural home in Lodwar town, the Vice President challenged leaders in areas hit by insecurity to show their seriousness in the fight against the vice.
"There is need for leaders in Pokot, Baringo and Turkana to work together towards attainment of peace and unity among communities living in these areas,'' said Mr. Musyoka.
" All leaders in this region should ensure the culture of cattle rustling is eradicated once and for all for accelerated development,'' he added.
He emphasized on the importance of leaders preaching peace and reconciliation among different communities in the country, noting that development will be elusive to achieve in insecure areas.
Mr. Musyoka reiterated the Government's commitment to addressing prices of commodities caused by soaring and sky rocketing of international fuel prices.
The Vice President advised parents in the area to take advantage of the free primary education to take their children to school, saying it is only through education that the many challenges facing the area could be solved.
The Vice President assured wananchi that the Government is putting more priority to the development of infrastructure to ease transportation problems facing farmers in agriculturally rich areas.
He said the situation of Kapenguria-Lodwar road among other roads in the country is being addressed.
"This is a top national infrastructure project that is being rehabilitated to ease transportation problems of not only people in this area but the entire country,'' he said.
Mr. Musyoka described the late Ekuam as a leader who was not only respected in Kenya but the Horn of Africa as a whole.
Cabinet Ministers John Munyes (Labour) and Samuel Poghisio (Information), attended the function.
Others were assistant minister Josephat Nanok (Forestry and Wildlife), former Foreign Affairs minister Moses Wetangula and MPs Ekwe Uthuro (Turkana Central) and Christopher Nakuleu (East African Assembly) and former MPs Emmanuel Immana and Francis Ewaton among other leaders.
Speaker after speaker emphasized on the need for leaders to be at the forefront in the fight against negative ethnicity for the sake of peace and stability in the country.
Mr. Poghisio and Mr. Munyes said leaders from Turkana and Pokot districts have resolved to intensify the fight against banditry and cattle rustling activities in the two areas.
The ministers urged communities in the area to take education of their children seriously, noting that it is only through education that the many challenges facing the area could be solved once and for all.
Mr. Munyes and Mr. Wetangula disclosed that the Government has set aside Kshs. 24billion to rehabilitate roads linking Webuye- Pokot-Turkana road as the only way to ease transportation problems in the area.
Mr. Munyes regretted that Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Turkana district have been ignored in the ongoing resettlement programmes for IDPs in the country.
"There should be fairness in resettlement of IDPs in the country,'' said Mr. Munyes who is also the Turkana North MP.
The leaders regretted that a lot of resources have been wasted in the fight against acts of lawlessness in the area at the expense of developing education, agriculture, health and infrastructure among other projects.
"I am happy that leaders in Pokot and Turkana districts are ready to work together in ensuring that problems facing the people of the two counties are resolved once and for all,'' said Mr. Nanok.
The leaders said it is only through teamwork and unity that the problems facing the residents could be confronted.
"We can disagree on politics but we should unite on matters of development,'' said Mr. Ethuro.
The leaders described the late Ekuam as a hardworking individual who was committed to uniting not only the people of Turkana but the country at large.
The late Ekuam leaves behind a widow Rebecca Ekuam and four children.
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