Police reservists to be deployed in Ol-Moran, Laikipia county

Community-based National Police Reservists will be deployed to the bandit-prone Ol-Moran area of Laikipia County in renewed efforts to sustain peace in the area.

The decision followed a high-level strategic meeting held on Monday between a delegation of security chiefs led by the Rift Valley Regional Commissioner Joseph Kanyiri and the Laikipia County Multi-Agency Security Team.

The meeting held in Rumuruti Town was followed by a public forum at Ol-Moran Trading Centre.

The national police service said in a tweet on Tuesday that the delegation was impressed with the progress of peace restoration in the area.

“The delegation was impressed and commended the Multi-Agency Security team in collaboration with the County Government of Laikipia for progressively restoring sustainable peace and coexistence amongst communities,” NPS said in a series of tweets.

The Ol-Moran region has been the epicentre of bandit attacks in recent months where a series of night attacks left several peopled dead and houses torched in late September 2021.

The police service, under Inspector General Hillary Mutyambai, said the restoration of peace in the region was evidenced by a surge in social-economic activities.

This, the service explained, has been achieved through a multi-pronged approach which included intensification of patrols and resettling of affected persons.

It cited the provision of food and non-food items, construction of houses for displaced families and the sinking of boreholes among the other interventions.

The police service said additional security camps have also been established in the area to intensify security patrols, provision of medical assistance, construction of new access roads and the construction and desilting of dams.

“Other interventions are a recovery of firearms and livestock, arrests and subsequent prosecution of suspected criminals,” NPS said.

The security teams further agreed to continue sharing information and enhance coordination amongst all the stakeholders to ensure peace in the region is sustained.

During the public engagement at the Ol-Moran Trading Centre, emphasis was laid on the need for residents to continue embracing peaceful initiatives in solving conflicts.

The residents were further called upon to volunteer information to security agencies through the Community Policing and Nyumba Kumi mechanisms for the enhancement of security in the area.