NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 13 — President William Ruto has for the umpteenth time reiterated the government’s commitment to stamp out banditry in the restive North Rift region.
Ruto said Sunday that his administration will do everything in its power to rid the region of bandits who continue to wreak havoc in the country with the latest incident being the killing of four people, including three police officers, in Turkana.
The Head of State said that his administration will step up its efforts to restore peace in the region that has suffered the brunt of frequent banditry attacks and cattle rustling.
“We have put in place measures to ensure that we deal decisively with the few individuals who continue to test our resolve by terrorizing the country so that we safeguard the lives of Kenyans,” Ruto said during a public engagement in Nakuru.
Ruto stated that he had directed the Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki to pitch camp in the North Rift to bring to an end the banditry menace that has continued to cost lives.
Perennial insecurity
Despite efforts by successive governments to tackle banditry and cattle rustling menace in the region, criminal gangs have continued to rule in parts of the Kerio Valley Belt including, Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet, West Pokot and Turkana Counties.
Just a week ago, the dovernment announced the formation of a special monitoring and surveillance team to oversee the fight against banditry and crime in parts of the country.
On February 6, CS Kindiki said the government is investing in community-based intelligence, drone surveillance technology, modern personal protection equipment and application of land and air assets to neutralize bandits and rustlers.
“To ensure success of this National endeavour, I have established a High-Level Counter Banditry Land and Air Team (LAT) complete with a Situation Room at the Ministry Headquarters to oversight daily progress in this war,” Kindiki said.
In the short and long term, the Interior CS stated that the government will roll-out a marshal plan to open up the North Rift region.
He said the government will invest in social and economic infrastructure projects as a way of “correcting historical developmental imbalances in our Country.”
Kindiki pledged to oversee the complete and permanent end of banditry and livestock rustling in Kenya.
“Neither their occasional antics nor the glorification they are getting from a tiny minority of naysayers, will deter our resolve to eliminate them and the threat they pose to our Country’s search for peace and progress,” he said.
