A section of politicians in Marsabit county have been censured for engaging in activities aimed at misleading the residents about the Ministry of Defence’s planned establishment of military bases within the county.
The Marsabit Governor, Mohamud Ali said that conclusive talks were carried out and a deal struck between the government, community elders and area leaders hence no going back.
Addressing journalists on Monday in Marsabit, Governor Ali described the talks between the parties involved as fruitful because the residents of Karare and Oronder in Marsabit Central Sub County were made to understand the benefits that would emanate from the projects.
“It is therefore wrong for some leaders to claim that due process was not followed and I can assure you here that there will be no reversal on the matter,” said the governor.
He reiterated that he was aware the talks yielded positive results and called for honesty among leaders and also to stop inciting wananchi for no apparent reason.
The governor further pointed out that the two areas requested for by the Kenya Defence Forces have for a long time witnessed the menace of livestock theft which orchestrate disputes among local communities.
Governor Ali noted that the presence of military camps or training fields in an area always boosts security adding that the military facilities set to be established in Karare and Oronder will act as a buffer zone hence helping in eradicating cattle rustling that breed ethnic conflicts.
The governor asked local leaders to always put the interest of their constituents first and to avoid introducing politics in development matters meant to benefit wananchi.
He was reacting to concerns raised by residents of Oronder that the talks to allocate training ground to KDF was not procedural said such initiatives were done in other parts of the country without opposition and would be welcome in Marsabit as well.
According to Barille Abduba said proper channels should be followed in evicting the residents from their grazing land.
“Let the Ministry of Defence involve the residents in a public participation before commencing on their plans to turn the area into a military training camp,” he said.
By Sebastian Miriti
