Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat has pitched camp in Elgeyo Marakwet County to oversee the reopening of schools in the volatile Kerio Valley, amid heightened security concerns and a looming boycott by teachers.
The move comes in the wake of growing anxiety among educators and civil servants following the recent killing of Catholic priest Fr. Alloys Cheruiyot. The tragic incident has intensified fears of targeted attacks against non-locals and government workers, leading to calls by teachers’ unions for a suspension of learning activities.
Speaking on Monday, DIG Lagat reassured teachers and other government personnel that their safety was a top priority. “We are here to ensure all is well. Let the teachers report to classes as there are more personnel for their safety and locals at large,” he said.
Lagat confirmed that all schools and key facilities would be guarded by the National Police Reserve (NPR), whose officers have undergone specialized training and have been armed for deployment. Additionally, multi-agency teams have been dispatched to the region to bolster security operations.
Despite these assurances, local leaders of the Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) and Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) have insisted that their members will not report to school until the government effectively neutralizes the threats. KNUT’s Marakwet Branch Secretary John Cheberi and KUPPET’s Paul Biwott cited increased targeting of non-local staff by criminal gangs, calling the current environment unsafe for educators.
The tension has already affected more than 20 schools, with fears that prolonged closures could disrupt the academic calendar and deepen the crisis in the region.
During a peace meeting held in Chesongoch, Bishop Dominic Kimengich of the Catholic Diocese of Eldoret called for justice for Fr. Cheruiyot and urged both leaders and residents to cooperate in identifying the perpetrators. DIG Lagat gave residents a three-day ultimatum to surrender the suspects.
In response to the fatal shooting, a dusk-to-dawn curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. has been imposed in Kerio Valley. Local governors Stephen Sang and Wisley Rotich have urged intensified government efforts to restore lasting peace and security in the area.
