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Emotions ran high during a debate on the rising insecurity in the six bandit-prone counties after lawmakers blamed each other for the menace, on the day the government defended its decision to deploy military to the affected areas without the approval of the National Assembly saying it was an emergency.

While debating an adjournment motion called to discuss the insecurity in the affected counties, the lawmakers claimed that top politicians in the region were the financiers of the killings currently ongoing.

Turkana Woman Rep Cecelia Asinyen and her counterpart from Baringo Florence Jematia claimed that top politicians are the ones who have been protecting the bandits.

While moving the adjournment motion, Asinyen said it is sad that politicians have been spotted carrying bandits using their helicopters instead of condemning the act.

“As we speak ,we don’t have clean information, but  word on the ground has it that some leaders in this House are  on record financing these people and have also been on duty trying to bribe commanders of KDF forces so that they do not do their job as they had been directed by the Commander in Chief,” she said

She added: “When you have an honourable member of this House owning a chopper airlifting bandits instead of condemning the same, what do you want me to say?

Asinyen told the House to stop gagging her from talking as she has information on who are the people fueling the violence in the North.

Getting out of hand

“The information we are talking about is with the DCI, Madam Speaker we cannot allow ourselves to be gagged from talking about this matter. A primitive community like mine Turkana how can they sustain a war with a government without sponsorship. There are people who come to the media to protect and airlift them,” she said.

Jematia told the House that Tiaty constituency is the backbone of the banditry menace and thus ought to be stopped.

“I consider Baringo as one of the manufacturers of bandits. I sit here knowing this is one area of manufacture, the only denominator of banditry is Tiaty. I have seen these communities through their leaders not doing anything to stop this menace,” she said.

And added: “Today there is a community called the Pokot who have vehemently refused to condemn this menace and they are the ones terrorising everyone, including the Samburu’s, Turkana’s, Tugen’s etc. I am speaking for the next generation, this is a menace that we must deal with.

Nyando MP Jared Okelo told the Government to move with speed and deal with the menace as it is now getting out of hand.

“Banditry is not a new thing in this country. It began a long time ago and has not stopped,” he said.

Marakwet East MP Timothy Toroitich said there is a need for a proper military intervention in the North if the current menace is to end.

Real terrorists

“As we speak the entire Kerio Valley is under the command of militia. In my opinion we need deliberate civilisation in this area. We need proper military intervention in this area. Let the bandits be declared as terrorists,” he said.

Migori MP Fatuma Zainab said the government has the machinery to deal with the menace once and for all.

“The Pokot population is say 681 -00000 people, we can interview each one of them and know who the real bandits are. We can get them. If we cannot take care of such a small community then what are we doing?

Turkana Central MP Joseph Namuar said that the entire area is currently inhabitable as bandits have taken over the said area.

Earlier, top security chiefs who had appeared before a joint sitting of the House explained that their decision to deploy the military is based on the fact that human lives were lost and property destroyed.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof Kithure Kindiki and his defence counterpart Adan Duale told the lawmakers that they will not spare any one including politicians when dealing with the bandits.

While issuing an update on the matter, the two explained to lawmakers that fact that the operation is being led by the National Police Service (NPS) and not the Kenya Defence Forces, they did not see it fit to first seek consent from MPs as Article 241 (3) (b) of the Constitution allows them to use KDF in situations of emergency or disaster, and then later report to the National Assembly. The duo who appeared together before a joint sitting of the Defence, Intelligence and Foreign Relations and Administration and Internal Affairs committees of the National Assembly said that their assessment of the situation on the ground had led them to declaring a state of emergency in the said areas as the insecurity in the region was no longer a banditry issue but a terrorist action.

In particular, Duale told the lawmakers that both NPS and KDF had come up with a command structure on how to land in the area which he referred to as a theatre.

Duale told the MPs that it is not the first time when military intervention has been sought, time KDF was being deployed internally without the nod of the National Assembly and cited September 21, 2013 Westgate terror attack, during which he was the Leader of Majority in the National Assembly, and last year’s deployment of the military personnel to Laikipia and Samburu as some of the instances.

New military bases

“The current situation is contemplated both in the act and in the Constitution where we are in the theatre to provide support to the National Police Service,” said Duale.

He added: “As a government we will not allow the bandits to harass Kenyans going about their duties. This government is determined to end this menace once and for good and nothing will derail it.”

Duale further told the MPs that the government will establish military bases in Turkana, West Pokot, Samburu and Marsabit to help guard the country’s borders against infiltration of militias from the neighbouring countries once the bandits have been dealt with.

Currently, the government does not have any military bases in northern Kenya, which has led to incursions and counter incursions of militias from Kenya and the neighbouring countries.