The Kenyan Government has declared the security situation currently prevailing in the North Rift Valley Region as a National Emergency.
This comes after Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki revealed that during the last six months, over 100 civilians and 16 police officers have been brutally murdered by marauding bandits and livestock rustling terrorists.
“The gangs have in recent days escalated their terror on innocent Kenyans and law enforcement agencies and in the process burnt down schools, police vehicles and other social amenities,” Kindiki notes through a statement.
In light of the above, the Government is ordering all persons across the country holding illegal firearms and ammunition to surrender them immediately and unconditionally within three days.
“Failure to which, the culprits will meet the full force of the law,” the statement reads in part.
Further, the CS has declared through a Gazette Notice certain areas specified therein within Turkana, West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo, Laikipia and Samburu counties as disturbed and dangerous areas triggering the legal consequences arising therefrom.
This statement comes a day after President William Ruto said that he had ordered the CS to leave his Nairobi office and pitch camp in the North Rift until the issue of Kenyans losing lives is resolved.
Ruto speaking in Nakuru on Sunday during a church service added that the government will use all the available resources to ensure no lives are lost to the bandits who have continued to terrorize parts of the country, especially the North Rift.
On Saturday, leaders from the Rift Valley region called on Ruto to order the deployment of military officers to Kerio Valley and other banditry-prone parts of the country to restore normalcy.
The four counties of Baringo, Turkana and Elgeyo Marakwet counties have been worst hit by the insecurity due to unending banditry and cattle rustling.
Source: Nam News Network