Normalcy is creeping back albeit slowly in Marsabit town and other parts of Marsabit County that were experiencing state of insecurity.
Local residents have expressed their satisfaction in the manner in which the security operation that started three months ago was being conducted saying that it has a human face.
As a result, Eastern Regional Commissioner Evans Achoki disclosed that a raft of measures to take the security restoration initiative to another level which include formation of a county peace actors’ forum were being taken.
Mr Achoki who was chairing a security meeting comprising leaders from all communities living in Marsabit at the ACK hall said peace building sessions will no longer be held at hotels in towns but at the villages.
“We want to involve every mwananchi in this process not only to create ownership but to ensure that there is inclusivity,” said the regional commissioner.
Mr Achoki said the actors would be engaging the residents directly and urged for continued support in mopping up of illegal firearms exercise.
The residents who spoke to KNA said that daily routines and chores which had been curtailed by insecurity have resumed and thanked the government for the effort.
Guyo Roba from Turbi observed that movement and access to Marsabit town that had been curtailed by insecurity has been resolved as they could now travel freely and go about their activities with ease.
At the same time, religious leaders in the county have lauded the effort by the government to maintain peace especially now that the country was preparing for elections.
The Marsabit County Interfaith Council Forum Bishop Peter Kihara of the Catholic Church said the on-going security operation was beneficial to the residents as it had seen normalcy regained in the hitherto troubled region.
Bishop Kihara said the forum was optimistic that the voting will be conducted in a peaceful atmosphere and urged residents to always love one another and observe peace during the season.
They pointed out that the county was set to have the general elections in a calm environment because of the intervention and asked the government to uphold it even after the polls until the region is completely pacified.
The peace building initiative towards the forth coming general elections is being facilitated by the Strategies for Northern Development (SND) with support from UK-aid and the European Union.
SND project officer Mohamed Wario said the objective was to build trust among communities besides educating the youth on the importance of participating in elections and eschewing acts of lawlessness.
By Sebastian Miriti
