The government has imposed a 30-day curfew and launched a massive disarmament operation in Kerio Valley and other areas in the North Rift ravaged by banditry attacks.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi said the government had exhausted all means and the time has come to deal with the conflicts experienced in the neighbourhood between Elgeyo Marakwet, West Pokot and Baringo counties with unprecedented firmness.
The order and operation, according to the CS, were cleared by the National Security Council (NSC), in order to have an intensified operation like in Marsabit County.
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“That belt in the neighbourhood between Elgeyo Marakwet, West Pokot and Baringo (Kerio Valley) now requires a new approach. We have exhausted all means of trying to arrest the misconduct and the criminal behaviours of some people operating in those areas,” he said.
Matiangi added that the government had unsuccessfully tried everything and even asked leaders to arrange meetings with the people to discourage them from the primitive acts of cattle rustling along the Kerio Valley.
“Time has come to deal with that belt with unprecedented firmness and we are going to apply fire they have never seen to bring order to that place,” he added
The CS said they had received eight reports from all the regions in the country and that according to the incident reports and assessments, most parts of the country were peaceful and stable.
He however said reports from Elgeyo Marakwet Kerio Valley had prompted serious security operations in the area.
"We have received a report from the Regional Security team in Rift Valley of what is going on there," he said.
Matiangi was speaking during a meeting with Senior Security and National Government Administration Officers at the Administration Police training college in Embakasi, Nairobi.
Local leaders have called for long term and more effective measures that will help end decades of banditry in the area that has led to death and destruction of property.
Kerio Valley's unending insecurity
On August 7 last year, CS Matiangi also imposed a two-month curfew in the same area. Three days later, bandits staged two more attacks in the Kerio valley.
The armed bandits twice attacked Kabetwa areas in Marakwet East where two people were injured and hundreds of animals stolen.
During that period, CS Matiangi issued the extended curfew orders banning all movement in areas affected by banditry in parts of West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet and Baringo counties. The order banned public gatherings, and processions of movements either alone or as a group except if permitted by the police.
Last month, on May 2, the government also imposed month-long dusk to dawn curfew in Marsabit County to pave way for a major security operation and disarmament in the area following armed attacks experienced in the region for the last few months.
The CS announced the curfew and also declared Komu Sub-location in Merti, Isiolo county a disturbed area and directed the immediate deployment of a multi-agency security team to, among other things, mop-up illegal firearms and track down all criminals.
Matiangi said it had been very costly as they count losses almost every other day because of the challenges in Marsabit.
“For the last year, we have made all efforts to ensure lasting peace, tranquillity and harmonious life in that county. We started off with localised conversations supported and led by the NCIC and local and political leaders. The leaders have been less than truthful. There is no one group of leaders that is truthful or innocent,” Matiangi said last month.
