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In a stern statement on Wednesday, the CS said the DP's remarks during the presidential debate were flippant, petty and shameful.
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"There has never been a time we have withdrawn national police reservists from North Rift or any part of the country," he said.
Image: FILE
Interior CS Fred Matiang'i has dismissed claims by Deputy President William Ruto that the government withdrew police reservists in the bandit-prone Kerio Valley, to punish him.
In a stern statement on Wednesday, the CS said the DP's remarks during the presidential debate were flippant, petty and shameful.
"There has never been a time we have withdrawn national police reservists from North Rift or any part of the country.
"What happens in the security sector is that reviews are done from time to time depending on the needs of a given area," Matiang'i said.
Speaking during the presidential debate, boycotted by rival Raila Odinga of Azimio La Umoja on Tuesday night, Ruto sensationally claimed reservists were withdrawn from the Kerio Valley on grounds that he would use them as militia.
"A very reckless act. With the withdrawal of the national police reserve, the situation went south.
"It was really an unfortunate act, but because it was meant to punish William Ruto, is a real tragedy," he said.
The DP said since then, the security situation in the counties of Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet, Pokot and Samburu deteriorated and 150 people have died since beginning of the year.
However, Matiang'i rubbished the claims saying all the DP needed was to ask to be debriefed on the true situation of the matter.
He said the periodic reviews on the transfer of the reservists is occasionally done in consultation with local leaders in the affected areas.
"In some areas, wananchi themselves and their leaders tell you we need a deployment of police reservists.
"We don't provide security because of an individual," Matiang'i said, adding that it's government's constitutional responsibility to provide security to its citizens.
The CS said if the DP was performing his roles effectively and attended security meetings, he would have been debriefed on the true picture on the ground.
"Instead of going to embarrass themselves in that manner, where you know you say things that don't exist," Matiang'i said.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)