By Betty Luke
The government has reiterated its commitment to completely eradicate banditry that has caused untold suffering to residents in Northern Kenya.
Interior CS Kithure Kindiki revealed of an indefinite operation in a week’s time that would recover all stolen animals and arrest perpetrators of past attacks in Isiolo, Marsabit, Meru and Samburu East area.
“The criminals who were used to weekly or monthly operations should be ready for an exercise that will last forever. We must recover all stolen livestock and surrender them to their owners,” Prof Kindiki said while overseeing handover of 200 camels that had been stolen at Mlango in Burat ward, Isiolo North.
The CS said the ongoing Operation Maliza Uhalifu to flush out bandits from six North Rift counties was 70 successful and maintained that the looming operation would not be suspended despite a section of leaders from Samburu and Isiolo counties appealing so.
“I want to assure the whole nation that we shall bring all criminal activities to an end this year (2024),”he assured.
Prof Kindiki however heeded to the plea by the leaders to engage their communities to surrender stolen animals and help identify the criminals, saying the outcome from the engagement will determine if there would be areas to be exempted from the operation.
MCAs Kelvin Lemantan (Waso in Samburu East), Peter Losu (Ngaremara), David Lemantile (Oldonyiro), Nicholas Lorot (Burat) and l Rebecca Lolosoli (Nominated in Samburu Assembly), had appealed to the government to suspend the operation promising to share names of the criminals involved in cattle rustling and encourage surrender of stolen animals.
The CS instructed the leaders to share on the number of livestock that would be returned on daily basis to enable him personally track the activity which he ordered Eastern region commissioner Paul Rotich yo supervise.
“The community engagement program should start immediately as we prepare to gazette the operation. We shall offer financial support but there must be daily feedback of animals surrendered as that will inform our next move,” he said.
Prof Kindiki assured members of the public that no innocent person would be harmed during the operation as the exercise only targets criminals who have been threatening peace in the nation.
“If you have not stolen anyone’s property you should not worry. We will not harm any innocent person. We are interested with the criminals,” he said adding,”Should we realize a threat to innocent members of the public in areas that will be gazetted, we will evacuate them and deal with the criminals comfortably.”
Mr Rotich and his Rift Valley counterpart Dr Abdi Hassan were directed to within a week finalize with coming up with a roadmap to be used during the operation that CS Kindiki said will start in a week’s time.
CS Kindiki said the government had procured special armoured vehicles and that one would be assigned to Isiolo County.
In attendance was Isiolo Governor Abdi Ibrahim Hassan Guyo, Woman representative Mumina Bonaya among other local leaders.
Terming banditry an outdated practice, Governor Guyo noted that his administration would offer the necessary support to security officers at the Mlango Anti-Stock Theft Unit to fight the menace that posed a major threat to the development of the area.
“The county government will provide the officers with food and any other support that we can to ensure they effectively dispense their duty of ending banditry,” he said.
Ms Bonaya lauded the MCAs idea noting that it would greatly strengthen cross border engagements and provide a long lasting solution to cattle rustling.
