Legislators pile pressure on Ruto to deploy KDF in Rift

Parliamentarians from the troubled northern Kenya want President William Ruto to order the deployment of the military to the region on claims that the police has failed to contain the situation.

The lawmakers asked the Head of State to invoke Article 241 (3) of the Constitution which allows him to deploy the military with the approval of Parliament.

In a statement read by Saku MP Dido Rasso who is the chairman of the Pastoralist Association in parliament, the legislators said: “The President should without delay seek parliamentary approval to allow the KDF to take full charge of the ongoing security operation led by police in the banditry-prone region.”

Reads article 241, “The Defence Forces– (a) are responsible for the defence and protection of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic;

(b) shall assist and co-operate with other authorities in situations of emergency or disaster, and report to the National Assembly whenever deployed in such circumstances; and

(c) may be deployed to restore peace in any part of Kenya affected by unrest or instability only with the approval of the National Assembly.”

Security presence

Attacks have continued despite the security presence, adding that it is high time the police paved the way for the military to handle the situation, the legisltors stated.

They also want the government to ban any movement of livestock in the volatile region saying this will help stop bandits from ferrying stolen animals to their destinations.

The lawmakers said the heavy security presence has served no purpose, because the soldiers are being commanded by police, who have proved to be no match for the bandits.

“We want military deployment under Article 241(3) of the Constitution. We cannot deploy KDF to the region only to be told they are under police protection. The government needs to act fast to contain the bandits who have reigned supreme in the region,” said Nandi Senator Samson Cheralgei.

On Tuesday, two medical workers were killed in the Kerio Valley, bringing to seven the number of people killed in Elgeyo Marakwet county alone in the past four days.

Tuesday’s victims of the sustained bandit attacks were a lab technician and a nurse who was killed after bandits launched two simultaneous attacks in Marakwet East and Marakwet West sub-counties.

Cheralgei said parliament was ready to approve the president’s request if brought before them without any hesitation.

“We are ready to approve the request in a record time, the volatile region needs the military now more than ever before,” added the senator.

Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago said bandits have been ferrying stolen animals almost at will pretending to be herders.

“If movement of livestock in the region is not stopped, the bandits will continue operating with impunity. They need to be stopped now,” said Mandago. 

On Sunday, heavily armed bandits attacked a Turkana county government vehicle and sprayed it with bullets but luckily the occupants escaped unhurt.

The two medics killed at Endo Mission and Kapchemuta Health Centres respectively, met their deaths after bandits from the neighbouring county launched twin attacks Tuesday afternoon.

Retaliatory attack

A nurse was accosted at Kowow village in Marakwet East as she was reporting for duty, while the lab technician was killed at Kapkata in Arror, Marakwet West, as he was tending to his livestock before they bandits fled with an unknown number of animals.

In Baringo, bandits carried out a daytime retaliatory attack in the volatile Seretion village in Mochongoi ward, Baringo South, on Sunday, injuring a police reservist and making off with more than 200 head of livestock.

In Samburu’s Saturday twin attacks where four people, including two children, were killed, it has been established the attacks were launched simultaneously. Three bandits attacked Marti village killing two children before driving away livestock.

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