- KNCHR said healthcare services must be prioritised to the communities in the affected areas with specific priority and focus on the special interest groups.
- The commission also asked Kindiki to allow humanitarian agencies, including the Kenya Red Cross, to assist vulnerable civilians to move to safer grounds.
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The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights wants the 24-hour ultimatum given to those living in bandit-prone areas to be substantially extended.
This, the commission said, will ensure that all civilians have been fully evacuated from the troubled areas before the security operations can commence.
KNCHR chairperson Roseline Odede said in a statement that the security agencies must guarantee the safety and security of all civilians in the identified areas and guarantee them a safe and orderly passage.
“Due to the pastoralism nature of the affected communities, and in view of the impending displacement, the national and county governments provide safe houses and spaces where the communities can temporarily relocate with access to basic commodities of water, food, adequate and reasonable sanitation,” she said.
The rights agency said it is deeply concerned by the unfolding human rights situation in the six counties of Turkana, Elegeyo Marakwet, Baringo, West Pokot, Samburu and Laikipia.
This is after Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki issued an order on Sunday ordering all law-abiding citizens to vacate identified troubled areas within 24 hours failure to which they will be treated as criminal elements.
Odede said urgent extraordinary measures must be taken to avert an impending humanitarian crisis.
She said the national and county governments must take appropriate measures and ensure that there will be no child that is denied their right to education through a seamless provision of alternative education centres in the affected areas.
Odede said healthcare services must be prioritised to the communities in the affected areas with specific priority and focus on the special interest groups such as the elderly, persons with disabilities, children, the sick and maternal care to expectant women.
“The security operation teams should leverage on the existing local administration structures for purposes of sharing information with members of the public on disturbed areas, relocation arrangements for populations being displaced from disturbed areas, and emergency support services such as; access to relief assistance as well as guidance on the areas that warrant classification as disturbed areas,” she said.
The commission also asked Kindiki to allow humanitarian agencies, including the Kenya Red Cross, to assist such vulnerable civilians to move to safer grounds, as well as provide any other humanitarian assistance.
Odede said the agency is monitoring the security operation pursuant to its constitutional obligation and calls on residents of the affected areas to assist and cooperate with security agencies to bring an end to the perennial insecurity in the region.
“The commission is available to provide linkages between members of the public and the security agencies to ensure the success of the operation,” she said.
The KNCHR chairperson urged anyone with information and human rights concerns relating to the security operation to share it throug SMS-22359.