The government has deployed 600 police officers in Kerio Valley to strengthen security in the region affected by banditry as the national census exercise begins.
The officers will be embedded with census staff as they carry out the count in Elgeyo Marakwet, Uasin Gishu, West Pokot, Baringo and Samburu.
Area leaders have assured the public of adequate security during the exercise and officials from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics said they were ready for the count.
“We have sensitised our people to fully support the exercise which is critical in planning matters both for the county and national government,” Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Alex Tolgos said.
Tolgos said security teams had mapped out the region to ensure that all areas are accessed easily without fear of attacks by bandits.
Senator Kipchumba Murkomen also rallied locals to be ready for counting saying government development plans heavily relied on accurate census figures.
“We all know that our development allocations and other plans are dependent on the census figures and we urge all Kenyans to ensure they are counted,” Murkomen said.
Elgeyo Marakwet county commissioner Hassan Omar said the order to have all entertainment joints closed early on the two days will be fully enforced.
“We have agreed with the businessman to work with us and do as directed. No one should be left out of the census exercise,” Omar said.
Governors Jackson Mandago of Uasin Gishu and Stephen Sang of Nandi also rallied residents of the two counties to participate in the exercise.
“We want to operate with accurate figures as we plan for the development of our country and hence the need for all us to ensure that we are counted,” Mandago said during a tour of Moiben subcounty.
Meanwhile, the Uasin Gishu county census committee has said there are plans to round up street families at the Eldoret rescue centre for counting.
Eldoret has more than 3,000 street children.
Chiefs and their assistants have also been directed to ensure that all bars and clubs within their areas of operation are closed by 5pm on August 24 and 25.
Uasin Gishu county commissioner Abdirizack Jaldesa said no bar or club should be allowed to operate during the two days to give revellers time to go to their homes to be counted.
Jaldesa, who spoke after meeting the census committee on Wednesday, said all plans for the exercise have been finalised.
“All the 40 ICT supervisors, 430 content supervisors and 3600 enumerators have been trained and are ready for the exercise,” he said.
The administrator said that the electronic and other materials that will be used during the counting have been distributed.
Elsewhere, pastoralists who had migrated to Mt Kenya forest from Laikipia in search of pastures have returned home ahead of the census.
Yesterday, Laikipia county commissioner Daniel Nyameti said the pastoralists returned after it rains in their respective areas meant there would pasture fr livestock.
Nyameti said that the oncoming national exercise was necessary for purposes of planning, adding that all plans were complete.
“The necessary officers have been trained with the last batch of enumerators starting training today (Wednesday). All security measures have also been put in place” Nyameti said.
(edited by O. Owino)
