Interior CS Kithure Kindiki has warned Political leaders in North Rift Valley Counties against meddling in the fight against banditry.
Speaking in Laikipia, Kindiki said leaders must shun politicising operations aimed at pacifying the area.
“Political leaders in North Rift Valley Counties must keep off the ongoing Maliza Uhalifu Operation targeting bandits,” he said on Thursday.
The CS emphasized that politics, culture and religion must be separated from the fight against banditry.
He warned the those leaders who for years have used banditry to aid their political or commerce ventures are at the tail end of their schemes.
“As the war against banditry gathers momentum, kinetic operations against bandits and armed criminals in the North Rift Valley Region will be supplemented with a robust, never before focus on law enforcement,” Kindiki said.
“Political and other leaders must refrain from politicising security matters or trying to meddle with security operations to allow the organs and agencies of our national security wage a decisive, ruthless and conclusive war against the impunity and terror of banditry,” he added.
The CS was speaking during a meeting with the Rift Valley Regional Security and Intelligence Committee, Laikipia County Security Team and local operation commanders at Survey Police Post, Ol Moran Division, Kirima Sub-County, Laikipia North Constituency, Laikipia County.
The Interior boss explained that the Government is determined to permanently destroy the intricate infrastructure of banditry by going for its benefactors, beneficiaries, accessories, planners and executors.
“Politics, ethnicity, culture, religion or other affiliations must be separated from the fight against the criminal atrocities perpetrated against the people of Kenya through the terror of bandits,” Kindiki said.
Going further, the CS noted that multi-agency security officers deployed in the Six North Rift Valley Counties will remain on the ground until the banditry menace is eradicated.
Kindiki however commended the officers for their diligence, commitment and patriotism in tackling the armed criminals who for years terrorised innocent residents and impoverished them economically.
He noted that in the last eight months, the interior ministry has registered significant success in the war against banditry.
“Our security officers have cornered the armed criminals and managed to recover a huge number of livestock stolen by the bandits. We are not about to stop. This operation will continue forever until the North Rift Valley Region is pacified and livestock rustlers eradicated,” Kindiki added.
