Nyumba Kumi elders in Narok town and its environs have called on residents to stop politicising the insecurity issue and instead report criminals living amongst them to the authorities.
The elders, led by Charles Kuraro on Wednesday, condemned the recent trend of incitement messages on the social media platform that painted Narok town as an insecure town.
This was following the killing of a 38-year-old man, whose body was found dumped along the Muslim graveyard a week ago.
Kuraro said the case was an isolated incident and should not be magnified to create fear among residents and visitors who flock to the town.
He told residents to report suspicious people among them to the police, who will carry out investigations and bring criminals to book.
“Narok is a cosmopolitan county where all tribes in Kenya live. If we start inciting one another on the social media platforms, we will be losing the battle, as this will not help to arrest the criminals,” he said.
Kuraro blamed some individuals with political ambition for taking advantage of the isolated criminal cases to popularise themselves among the residents.
“If you have a political agenda, put your manifesto to the people, and if they like you, they will vote for you when the right time comes, but do not use the security issue as a campaign platform because there are relevant departments that should address the security issue,” he said.
Another elder, Joseph Kamau, reminded the people that security is an individual responsibility, as everyone has a duty to ensure their environment is safe.
“If we continue criticising the authority in the social media platforms, then we are opening a door for criminals who will take advantage of our vulnerability. Let us continue being united and ensure no criminal lives amongst us,” he said.
Their sentiments come at a time when Narok Peace Ambassador Joshua Kaputa, led a group of youth in Narok town to protest against the alleged insecurity in the town.
Kaputa, who is vying for the Narok township Member of County Assembly seat that was left vacant after the death of the sitting MCA Lucas Kudate, said the security team should prioritise the safety of every person living in the town.
“It is so painful to lose a loved one because of people with evil motives. We will not sit back and relent again as our people are being killed. We have to raise our voices and be heard by the people in authority,” he said.