The government has mobilized the appropriate security mechanisms in a bid to address skirmishes that have led to loss of lives and property along the Meru, Isiolo and Samburu boundaries in the recent past.
Internal Security Secretary Wilson Njega said the government plans to recruit more National Police Reservists (NPRs) from both Isiolo and Meru counties who would closely work with Anti Stock Theft Unit, General Service Unit and Regular Police officers to ensure that the emerging security concerns in the area were addressed amicably.
Njega said the contingent of security personnel would be engaged in search of stolen animals and ensure safety of lives and property for the sake of peace and development in the region.
The Interior secretary said that NPRs would enhance the manpower of the official security organs, since the number of security officers in the affected counties fell below the recommended standard.
Njega added that a new GSU post would be established at Rambwa Bridge in Tigania East constituency and assured wananchi that criminals who killed camels and shot dead five people on Tuesday night will be apprehended and prosecuted soon.
He urged residents living along the border of Isiolo and Meru counties to stick to traditional and modern dialoguing in solving disputes instead of resorting to using dangerous firearms.
Njega, who was accompanied by GSU Commandant Douglas Kanja, Eastern Regional Commissioner Evans Achoki and security officers from Nairobi, Eastern region, Meru and Isiolo Counties said that the government would use force to disarm local herders found in possession of illegal firearms.
He added that illegal firearms are dangerous to others who are not armed and also posed a risk to people’s property, where criminals have been stealing at gun point.
“Such criminals have formed a habit of hiding behind communities, while some politicians protected them instead of treating them as killers,” said the administrator.
He further warned herders from pastoral communities to stop grazing their animals in the farming areas because the practice had been the major cause of lethal conflicts.
Njega said that the government is concerned with the life of every citizen and appealed to area residents to always pass vital information to the relevant authorities for swift intervention to be taken, instead of taking law into their own hands, since it resulted in the killing of innocent people.
He added that communities who hid criminals and help them to escape arrest would in future blame themselves for assisting suspects to go scot free after committing serious offenses.
The Interior secretary reiterated that every Kenyan has equal right to own property in any part of the country and it is the government’s responsibility to protect them and their property, while cautioning those harbouring criminals that their days were numbered.
On his part, the Eastern Regional Commissioner Evans Achoki said that the government would not spare politicians who incite youths to commit crime and protect criminals to escape arrest.
Achoki said more security officers would be deployed in Isiolo, Meru, Samburu and Isiolo and would work under close supervision of their respective Officers Commanding Police Station.
By Abduba Mamo
