Come on, I'm here - CS Kindiki says as bandits shoot in air near his meeting

The CS was touring the area in Ngomeni ward, Mwingi North constituency, where bandits have in recent weeks shot locals dead for resisting invasion of their farms.

Two weeks ago, a 48-year-old was beheaded by camel herders. His body was found days later by family members.

Kindiki on Tuesday met local leaders alongside area security chiefs at Mandongoi Primary School.

As he began to talk, gunshots were heard. "I'm here. Let them continue," Kindiki said as the sound of gunshots rent the air.

Camel herders from neighbouring Wajir and Garissa counties have invaded private farms in search of pasture for their livestock, causing a clash with farmers in Kitui.

Kindiki said with rain pounding various parts of the country, there will be enough pasture and the herders should leave Kitui.

"All herders must vacate this land now that it is raining. The only camels that should be seen around are those belonging to residents, if at all they keep any," he said.

The CS blamed the herders for the insecurity in the region, saying perpetrators must face the law.

"You must obey and respect the community that has accommodated you to graze your animals," Kindiki said.

He said no one is authorised to graze their camels without the consent of the farmers thus they must vacate immediately.

"For these 'wakora' who are used to despising people, let them try misbehaving this week. We will not tolerate insecurity because of people who think they are above the law. I want to challenge criminals who think they have better weapons of violence than the government to try us," he said.

Kindiki ordered the Kitui security team to tell him the number of officers needed to implement that order.

"Even if we need up to 30,000 security officers, we will deploy them because the government cannot compete with criminals," he said.

He urged residents not to take the law into their own hands as the government is working to resume normalcy in the region.

Kindiki said if the herders take cover in nearby game reserves, the government will still evict them.

"The government will follow all the criminals wherever they go and I'm not saying this to please residents but the President has directed that the entire country must be safe," he said.

"There's no country where a stranger invades your land, and when they differ, the intruder kills the host. Nowhere,"

Kindiki said there will be no negotiations between criminals and the government.

"The work of security officers is to guard residents together with their properties, the weapon you have is to guard the locals. Use that weapon and the government will stand with an officer who uses his weapon to protect locals," the CS said.

He also ordered the recruitment of 250 Kenya Police Reservists.

"This place should be safe from now on. Recruitment should start immediately. In two weeks time, I will be here to launch the recruitment of 250 Kenya Police Reservists," he said.