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The government has ordered the redeployment and restructuring of security personnel in banditry-prone North Rift following the killing of more than 10 people in a month.

Affected security cadres are the General Service Unit (GSU), the Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU) and the Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU).

Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof Kithure Kindiki who made an extensive tour of the region on Tuesday reiterated the government’s commitment to stamp out runway banditry which has derailed development and led to closure of schools in the region.

“As a way to bolster security in the region, the government will set up new security camps in the region in a bid to neutralize threats and return to normalcy,” said Prof Kindiki who held a closed-door security meeting at Kosile GSU Camp in Baringo North, which he commissioned.

Closed-door meeting

Sources who privy to the closed-door security meeting told People Daily that the government was contemplating rolling out a massive security operation in the region, which has left many dead and scores displaced.

The area has witnessed renewed attack in the past one month with more than 2,000 people already displaced.

The worst affected villages include Namba,Ng’aratuko, Kagir, Yatya and Kosile where atlest five people including school going children have been killed in a month.

The situation has adversely impacted on education with more than 10 schools closed in Baringo North and Baringo South sub-counties in the past one month.

The worst hit schools are those in Saimo-Soi and Bartabwa wards in Baringo North where locals have sought refuge in areas such as Moinonin, Loruk and Roormoi.

Schools which have been closed down as a result of banditry in the area include: Kagir,Yatya, Ng’aratuko, Tuluk, Chepkessin and Kibenot. Those affected in Baringo South include Arabal and Kashiela in Mochongoi ward.

Schools closed

Kindiki yesterday assured learners and teachers in the banditry prone region that all schools closed as a result of insecurity will be reopened and provided with enough security.

The CS last week held a crisis meeting with all elected and nominated leaders from Baringo County in a bid to find lasting solutions to the current insecurity in the region.

Kindiki yesterday pledged to continue the engagement and review the interventions required to address historical, current, and emerging security challenges from the grassroots, to the national level.

“The government will continue to review ongoing security measures to identify the gaps and generate consensus on strategies to win the war against banditry and livestock rustling,” said Kindiki.

He also announced the reinstatement of 300 National Police Reservists (NPRs) and enlistment of another 150 to bolster security in the area.

The government termed six banditry-prone counties in the North Rift among them Turkana, West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo, Laikipia and Samburu as ‘disturbed and dangerous’ and rolled out a massive security operation coordinated by police and assisted by the military last year following the killing of more than 100 civilians among them 24 police officers in six months alone.

Meanwhile, Members of Parliament (MPs)from the region have claimed the approach being used by the government to fight the vice will not work, as it is outdated.

Speaking before the National Assembly Committee of Cohesion when they appeared to give their views on how to permanently eliminate banditry and cattle rustling menace, the MPs claimed that the government had side-lined them by not involving them in meetings and tours of the affected region.

The leaders from Laikipia, Samburu, West Pokot, Baringo, Turkana and West Pokot counties claimed that approaches such as arrest and summoning of elected leaders to record statements over the banditry attacks are only making the situation worse as it is intimidating.

Led by Kacheliba MP Titus Lotee, the lawmakers claimed that the resurgence of banditry and cattle rustling cases despite the government’s investment in taming the vice was an indication that the tact was bound to fail.