Turkana South MP John Namoit has differed with Interior CS Kithure Kindiki over a directive for residents in the bandit-prone areas to vacate by Monday.
The CS said the directive is meant to avert a situation where innocent residents could be caught up in the fight against bandits hiding in caves and gouges.
But in a statement on Sunday, Namoit said Kindiki should rethink the strategy saying that it is impossible to evacuate the residents in the areas where a security operation is active since they have permanent settlements and investments there.
"As MP Turkana South Constituency, I disagree in totality with the order and ask the CS to explore additional ways that they can use to protect the livelihood of Kenyans living in this areas," the MP said.
He said the residents did not have an alternative area to take refuge and asked the government to protect their property instead.
The legislator proposed measures to the Ministry of Interior to conduct a manual search of bandits in the areas identified and recommended for action.
He said this should be followed up by intensifying security operations in the identified areas.
Further, the MP said security in areas including Lobokat, Kapelibok and Nakwamoru need to be strengthened to protect the investments of the residents which include agricultural fields, grazing lands and market centres.
"Every community "should be forced" and I quote "should be forced" to go back to their respective areas for ease of peace negotiations, operations and disarmament," Namoit said.
He said past negotiations had failed because some communities were residing inside others' territories.
While issuing the vacate order on Sunday, Kindiki said any residents who will not have moved by Monday will be treated as banditry suspects.
He said security personnel will upon the lapse of the ultimatum start operations to flash out bandits in gorges and escarpments in Kapelbok, Nakwamoru, Lebokat, Ombollion, Nadome, Kamur in Turkana County and Korkoron Hills, Tandare Valley and Silale Gorges in Baringo County.
He said Turkwell Escarpment at the interface of West Pokot and Turkana Counties and Mukogodo Forest; Kamwenje, Warero and Ndonyoriwo; Lekuruki Hills, Losos and Kiape Caves and Sieku Valley in Laikipia County are also earmarked for the security operation.
In Samburu, areas on the spot include Ltungai Conservancy, Longewan, Nasuur, Lochokia and Lekadaar Escarpments; Lolmolok Caves, Pura Valley, Malaso Escarpment and Suguta Valley.
"The above spaces are hereby declared scenes of crime and any person found therein from Monday, March 13, will be treated as a suspect of armed banditry, or as a suspect of aiding and abetting banditry, or an accessory after the fact," Kindiki affirmed.
