Ministry of Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Prof. Kithure Kindiki (on the podium) addresses members of the press on the sidelines of a security operation to flush out bandits from Samburu County. The CS was accompanied by Rift Valley Regional Commissioner Abdi Hassan (in brown) Samburu County Commissioner Henry Wafula(far right) and other top security officials | PHOTO-Ministry of Interior
By Eastern Correspondent
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki and his Defense counterpart Aden Duale notices of dusk to dawn curfew and deployment of KDF to curb insecurity in North rift counties have been endorsed by area leaders.
Samburu Governor Lati Lelelit said the Gazette notices for a joint operation between police and Kenya Defense Forces is the only hope of ending animosity and cattle rustling menace between the aforementioned counties entrenching peaceful co-existence.
“We hold on to hope that the long-awaited military operation will start by clearing the Malaso/Pura escarpment floor of criminal/bandit habitation. Such a start will most definitely pivot to lasting peace.
The valley floor down Malaso/Pura escarpment remains the biggest warehouse of stolen livestock from across the entire stretch of the North Rift,” Lelelit said.
Samburu West MP Naisula Lesuuda thanked the President noting that insecurity in the County has been a thorn in the flesh.
She said she was pleased by the technical team led by Major General Tarus that is looking at the issue of cattle rustling and insecurity in the North.
“Great leadership to end this menace by the President and we can’t afford to miss this opportunity,” Lesuuda said.
In a notice released recently, the government declared Sipii Division in Laikipia county and Malaso, Baragoi, and Wamba Divisions in Samburu County as dangerous areas most affected by insecurity.
Besides Samburu and Laikipia, Kindiki declared West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet, and Baringo as disturbed and dangerous.
Kindiki said more than 100 civilians and 16 police officers have been brutally murdered by marauding bandits and livestock rustling terrorists in the Northern Rift Valley region of Kenya in the last six months.
Kindiki said painful and decisive measures would ultimately have to be taken immediately to avert the escalation of terror on innocent Kenyans and law enforcement agencies.
On 10 November 2012, in Baragoi Samburu County, a ‘combined force of 132 police officers and hundreds of Kenya Police Reservists from the Samburu community’ were assembled for the operation to recover stolen livestock in Lomerok village.
The combined force was ambushed by bandits and about 105 people were killed, among these, 42 were police officers.
The massacre led to the displacement of people from the area and the loss of livelihoods from pastoralism to dependency on relief supplies.
There have been frequent raids, attacks, and deaths in the county.
Recently, the CS ordered locals living in Ltungai, Longewan, Nasur, Lochokia, and Lekador escarpments, Lolmolog caves, Malaso escarpments, Pura valley, Suguta valley and the escarpment from Marti to Ltungai to vacate the areas ahead of a military operation to flush out bandits.
According to reports, over 500 families headed the call to move out of the hotspot areas in Samburu with hundreds more expected to follow suit.
KNA quoted the CS saying “At a solemn moment like this when our nationhood is being tested, it either you are with the bandits or with us; there is no in between. More than ever the victims of banditry require collective consciousness and support. They deserve protection from the government,” he said.
