As Kenya and the world concentrate on fighting the coronavirus pandemic, residents of Wajir have been asked not to forget about security in the region.
County commissioner Jacob Narengo on Sunday said matters of security should not be forgotten because al Shabaab could strike anytime.
“The focus currently in the entire world is how to contain the Covid-19. As a county, we have not been left behind. We are our doing our very best to make sure that our people stay safe from the virus,” Narengo said.
He spoke after conducting an impromptu tour of Wajir town to ascertain whether residents were adhering to the guidelines announced by the Ministry of Health.
"But even as we do that, we need to remember that the security of our people remains top on our list. We cannot over concentrate on one issue and forget about the other (security). Securing our borders against the al Shabaab militants and all the criminal groupings is of utmost importance,” Narengo said.
Wajir has been peaceful for months with no terror-related cases reported. Narengo said the feat was achieved through the close working relationship that involves wananchi sharing timely information on suspicious people or vehicles in their villages.
“Terror is a global problem that we are all compounded with. We have all seen what it can do to a society. The key to winning this war remains our unity,” the county commissioner said.
On Tuesday last week, Narengo warned those engaged in the illicit business of contraband goods saying the county security and intelligence committee will not spare anybody found doing such businesses.
He said harsh actions, including burning their goods and vehicles, will be taken.
“These are the biggest enemies of our country and should be treated a such. The consequences for those arrested are so dire that one should think twice before engaging in them,” he said.
On Friday last week, panic gripped Wajir town after word went around that a patient had been diagnosed with coronavirus.
The romour spread fast within the town's social media platforms prompting health officials to convene a press conference within hours to dispel the rumours.
The officers said the patient did not have coronavirus.
Narengo warning residents against spreading rumours on the coronavirus. He said those found will be arrested.
“I want to reiterate the fact that we will not allow people to cause unnecessary tension and panic among our population. This is not something to joke about. Such individuals will only have themselves to blame when found culpable,” Narengo said.
edited by peter obuya
