The government has announced plans to renovate and reopen schools closed due to bandit attacks in West Pokot County.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki says the government has enhanced security in the affected regions, especially in the border areas where West Pokot County intersects with Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet and Turkana Counties.
"The Government will rehabilitate schools that were abandoned due to insecurity posed by bandit attacks in West Pokot County," Kindiki stated.
"This morning Wednesday), at Cheptulel Boys Secondary School, Sigor Constituency, West Pokot County, made a security assessment of the abandoned schools to facilitate commencement of rehabilitation works for reopening and resumption of learning in line with the Government of Kenya policy to ensure all children access education."
Schools affected in West Pokot
The schools to be reopened include Chesegon Primary School, Cheptulel Primary School, Cheptulel Boys Secondary School, Sapulmoi Primary School and Kisaa ECD in Pokot Central Sub-County, Lonyangalem Primary School, Kour Primary School and Songok Primary School in Pokot North Sub-County and Karon Primary School in Pokot West Sub-County.
Kindiki also announced that the government will commence training of 205 National Police Reservists (NPR) at Chesta Teachers College Grounds in Sigor Constituency.
The reservists will be deployed to supplement the role of the National Police Service (NPS) and the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) in Operation Maliza Uhalifu.
"To augment security at the border areas where West Pokot County intersects with Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet and Turkana Counties, the training of 205 National Police Reservists (NPR) shall commence tomorrow at Chesta Teachers College Grounds in Sigor Constituency, following which they will be deployed to supplement the role of National Police Service (NPS) and the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) as the Operation Maliza Uhalifu moves into its second year," he added.
Kindiki has also urged the public to avoid ethnicisation and politicisation of security matters.
"The public must avoid ethnic, political and sectarian characterisation of security matters and provide space for security agencies to discharge their responsibility without any interference whatsoever," he said.
