By Betty Luke
Interior CS Kithure Kindiki has announced the extension of the ongoing Operation Maliza Uhalifu in North Rift counties to bandit-prone areas in Isiolo, Marsabit, Samburu and Meru counties starting New Year.
The operation that will be supervised by Eastern Regional Commissioner Eric Rotich and Rift Valley counterpart Abdi Hassan seeks to flush out armed cattle rustlers and bandits who have been terrorizing residents and the security personnel.
“We cannot continue tolerating the monkey business of criminals aiming fire at security officers in Kenyan uniform killing them right, left and center,” noted Prof Kindiki.
The CS tasked regional security bosses to map out specific disturbed areas to be included in the operation.
He said the government was keen on completely eradicating banditry activities that had led to loss of hundreds of lives and property in Northern Kenya.
Security bosses in the three counties and national government adminstrators were warned against sabotaging the government’s effort to end the vice.
“The government will hold accountable any government officer whose area harbors stolen livestock and where police officers are attacked while on recovery missions,” he said.
Prof Kindiki spoke when he met security teams from Eastern and Rift Valley regions and Formation Field Commanders at Archers Post in Samburu County Thursday.
The announcement comes barely two weeks after two police officers and a National Police Reservist in were killed by armed bandits in Isiolo and Meru counties.
On politicization of security matters, CS Kindiki said: “The unhealthy relationship between politics and security has been posing a grievous threat to our country’s future and therefore the government is keen to delink the two to achieve maximum results”.
