- President William Ruto's statement comes a day after three police officers were killed and seven others injured in a banditry attack.
- He said Interior Cabinet Secretary, Kithure Kindiki would camp in the region to until the situation calmed down.
Image: JEPTUM CHESIYNA
President William Ruto has sent a stern warning to marauding bandits who have been a menace in the North Rift.
Ruto said the government would not allow bandits to threaten the country’s peace and security.
He warned that the government will deal with the criminals if they continue killing, maiming and stealing livestock.
Responding to pleas for security enhancement in the region by several governors, the President revealed that he had ordered Interior CS Kithure Kindiki to deal with banditry.
“Interior CS, Kithure Kindiki was in Turkana yesterday and he is in Baringo today just to ensure that this menace is strategically dealt with,” he said.
Speaking at the Nakuru Athletic Club during the interdenominational thanksgiving prayers, Ruto maintained that the killing in North Rift must end.,
The President was joined at the service by his deputy Rigathi Gachagua, First Lady Rachel Ruto, Prime CS Musalia Mudavadi, dozens of Kenya Kwanza MPs – including the Jubilee defectors, governors, ministers, principal secretaries and a battery of clergymen.
His statement comes a day after three police officers were killed and seven others injured in a banditry attack at Napemoit in Turkana county.
Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Wesley Kipyegon had asked the President to establish a Kenya Defense Forces base along the Kerio Valley belts to deal with banditry and cattle rustling.
“My region has lost 25 people in the last 40 days, urgent interventions are required including allowing the police in the area to use choppers for patrols,” he said,
His sentiments were echoed by Baringo Governor Benjamin Cheboi and his West Pokot counterpart Simon Kachapin who said insecurity was their greatest challenge.
Kachapin asked the churches to pray for security and stability in North Rift while Choboi said that Baringo had the capacity to produce sufficient food for the country if they were afforded security and irrigation schemes.
Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya who is also a former Rift Valley regional commissioner blamed underfunding as the main challenge in the fighting banditry in the North Rift.
“During my tenure as the Rift Valley regional commissioner I never received sufficient funding to secure North rift,” he said.
He added that the situation was so bad that it compelled the police to enter into unholy alliances with the bandits to sell bandits in exchange for goats for meat.
On the ongoing drought and starvation, Ruto said plans to ensure sufficient food for the nation were underway with subsidised fertilisers and sufficient seeds in place.
“Drought is a major challenge due to climate change and I call upon people of all walks of life to pray for the rains,” he said.
He told Azimio leaders to let MPs work with whichever affiliations they wished to work with and stop the personality cults.
During the meeting, Jubilee's acting secretary general Kanini Kega said all the party's elected leaders will support the government.
He said the party and its members recognised William Ruto as the fifth President of Kenya adding that the MPs would not be cowed by threats from Azimio.
Tens of MPs from different parties and more than 20 governors attended the thanksgiving event.
The event was organised by different churches in collaboration with 14 governors representing all the counties in Rift Valley.