CS Kindiki in West Pokot county for a security meeting

Interior Cabinet Secretary, Kindiki Kithure, emphasized the government's commitment to eliminating criminals and bandits who continue to pose a threat to the safety of residents along the North Rift border region.

Addressing a peace and security meeting in Sarmach, Turkwel, CS Kindiki acknowledged the recent incident in Kositei- Sarmach, where two children were injured, and over 100 livestock were stolen but later recovered. He emphasized that peace could not be achieved while locals continued to lose their lives and called for an end to such violence.

As such, the CS directed the establishment of seven new divisions, along with the deployment of additional security personnel in the border area of Pokot-Turkana.

Furthermore, he announced the reopening of the Konyao one-stop border crossing to facilitate increased movement and trade. In addition, the Ministry of Interior pledged support for the reconstruction of a security road connecting Turkwel to Kasei, aiming to uplift the development of this region and overcome the prevailing challenge of insecurity.

CS Kindiki also instructed his security team in Kapenguria to fill vacant Chief and assistant chiefs positions, aiming to enhance governance and law enforcement at the grassroots level.

Addressing the issue of closed schools, the CS, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, announced the immediate reopening of schools, with necessary security measures in place. Additionally, in efforts to improve border schools infrastructure, the CS announced Ksh. 100 million towards reconstruction of schools closed down due to insecurity. He said the schools among them Cheptulel Boys and Girls, Chesegon Primary among others affected would be reconstructed with the assistance of the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) and the National Youth Service (NYS), amounting to a contribution of 100 million Kenyan shillings. CS Kindiki pledged the support to ensure the affected schools could resume their normal operations seamlessly.

To bolster security patrols and combat banditry, the government through the Interior Ministry planned to assign additional National Police Reservists (NPR) and establish security personnel units (formed camps) across the affected region. Additionally, the CS proposed the gazetting of Embotut Forest as a disturbed area due to security concerns.

Apologizing to families who had lost their children, he acknowledged the urgency of taking swift and decisive action to address the prevailing insecurity. He expressed optimism about bringing positive change and assured the community that the government would pursue the criminals relentlessly.

Highlighting the detrimental effects of insecurity on countries like Burkina Faso and Mozambique, the CS emphasized the need to protect Kenya from similar outcomes and called for collective efforts to end insecurity. He underlined that violence benefited no one and shared President Ruto's determination to eradicate banditry and violence in the disturbed counties. He emphasized the importance of all stakeholders working together to confront and resolve these issues.

The CS stressed the government's commitment to using necessary force if illegal firearms were not surrendered voluntarily. He condemned political leaders who incited violence through negative rhetoric and assured the public that these criminals would face justice.

Governor Simon Kachapin emphasized the need for a comprehensive understanding of the region, pointing out that it had relatively low crime rates. He emphasized the significance of border peace and identified the lack of administrative units as a contributing factor to insecurity. He proposed the establishment of a police station at Lami Nyeusi and called for equal issuance of NPRs to all communities.

Deputy Governor Robert Komolle urged all leaders to come together and find solutions, highlighting that without unity, peace would remain elusive. He stressed the negative impact of leaders' inflammatory speeches and called for the arrest of those inciting violence.

Earlier on, CS Kindiki together with Governor Kachapin led a closed door meeting with security teams and local leaders to deliberate and find lasting solutions to rising cases of insecurity along the North Rift region, in particular, Pokot-Turkana border.