• Uhuru emphasized the need for Marsabit leaders to work together to promote unity
•The President assured that the government would review police deployment in the North-Eastern region to tackle security challenges.
Image: COURTESY/ STATE HOUSE
President Uhuru Kenyatta has given Marsabit leaders two weeks to come up with a lasting solution to the communal conflicts.
The Head of State warned that the government would deploy security agencies in the county if the leaders failed to bring forward a concrete strategy to stop the conflicts.
“My dear friends from Marsabit, you should sit down together and decide that you want peace amongst yourselves. You must agree amongst yourselves and bring me the solution because you have it.
I will call you after two weeks, if you do not bring an agreed solution, the government will intervene, and you know what that means,” he said.
Uhuru spoke at the State House in Nairobi on Tuesday, when he hosted a delegation of leaders from Marsabit, Isiolo and Tana River counties.
He emphasized the need for Marsabit leaders to work together to promote unity among residents.
“Peace is an important thing and has benefits. Make peace so that you can benefit fully by being at the centre of government. Instead of focussing on war and petty tribal clashes, focus on how you will uplift the lives of the people of Marsabit County,“ he said.
“The most important thing is for the 50 million Kenyans to live together peacefully. Let us work for peace as this is what will enable us to achieve our development agenda. Please learn from me, you can all see, despite having had political differences with the ODM leader Raila Odinga, we decided to discard our differences and join hands to build a peaceful country,” he added.
The President assured that the government would review police deployment in the North-Eastern region to tackle security challenges.
Leaders present were Transport and Infrastructure CS James Macharia, Marsabit Governor Mohamud Mohamed, Mandera Governor Ali Roba, Marsabit Senator Godana Hargurah and several MPs from three counties, among other grassroots leaders.
The leaders, led by the Marsabit Governor pledged to support the head of state in his endeavour to unite all Kenyans, noting that they will continue working together in supporting his development agenda.
They also commended the President for flagging off a convoy of relief supplies which they said would go a long way in alleviating hunger in the region.