State will crush al Shabaab to protect Lapsset, says administrator

The government will not allow al Shabaab insurgents to interfere with the construction of the Lapsset project, Northeastern regional commissioner John Otieno has said.

He spoke to local administrators from the 10 subcounties in Garissa at the Government Guest House in the county on renewed attacks.

The terrorists are targeting projects including the Lapsset port and road.

A Chinese company is constructing the Bura-Garissa road connecting Tana River and Kilifi counties. Officials say the attacks are delaying their targets.

Workers on the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia-Transport Corridor project were recently told work had been suspended for six weeks to allow security agencies time to address the problem of insecurity.

Those who had been off duty were told not to report back until after six weeks, while those in the four construction camps were told to stay indoors.

Multiagency teams are combing the area in a major operation

There have been seven attacks since December 8 targeting the project workers and property, leaving at least 15 people dead and destroying valuables.

The latest incident happened on January 17 when a convoy carrying the workers escorted by military personnel were attacked. Insiders said six people died.

At least 14 people have died since then.

“We have witnessed a re-emergence of al Shabaab activities especially along the Lapsset corridor and that is a very important project to the government. We have done a number of operations to flush out these militants so that the project can continue without any interruptions,” Otieno said.

He said chiefs and assistant chiefs are an integral part of matters security and should be at the forefront of not only maintaining security but also weeding out all illegal elements within their jurisdictions.

Otieno said the tendency of local administrators not knowing what is happening in their respective areas will no longer be tolerated.

“You are under strict scrutiny and you must deliver knowing that you are the government’s eyes on the ground. You are a critical segment that can provide the necessary information to the security team for necessary action,” he said.

Otieno also urged NGAO officers to tackle insecurities in their areas and share any intelligence reports with the police.

His comments come barely a week after Defence CS Aden Duale said the government will act tough on anyone hell-bent on destabilising the security of the country.

Speaking during the official launch of Young Muslim Girls Secondary in Garissa town on Saturday last week, Duale said the Kenya Kwanza government is determined to ensure all corners of the country are peaceful.

"As a government, we will do everything possible to make sure that we  protect Kenyans and their property. We will not compromise on that," the CS said.

“I want to urge our leaders that we fully cooperate on this issue and find a lasting solution to it. Currently we are now constructing the Lapsset  project which we have put in huge investments of security, but you still hear what is happening those sides every other day. So we all need to give  security the seriousness it deserves and work with the security agencies.”