By John Lepeto
The government has extended the 6pm-6am curfew in Marsabit County for one more month.
In a gazette notice, Interior CS Fred Matiang’i said the extension was prompted by security threat caused by the disturbances in the county.
Dr Matiang’i also banned public gatherings, processions and or movement either alone or as a group during the curfew period.
Only those permitted in writing by the Inspector General of Police will be allowed to undertake their engagements, he said.
The operation, that started on May 2 and extended to Kom in Isiolo and Sololo within Kenya-Ethiopia border, was aimed at netting illegal firearms and arresting suspects behind the spate of banditry attacks.
Over 140 firearms and 1000 rounds of ammunition have been recovered in Marsabit and Kom in the last one month.
A section of Isiolo leaders and residents had last week asked the government not to extend the operation in Kom and reopen the Kom Durte mining site that was shut down about two weeks ago saying the closure had exposed thousands of residents to suffering.
Speaker Hussein Roba and MCAs Isack Fayo and Ali Dima of Kinna and Chari respectively said thousands of residents especially youths who worked at the gold mine were at high risk of indulging in crime and drug abuse.
The curfew, they said, had hurt many businesses threatening locals’ livelihoods.
