Kindiki: State to address security challenges along Turkana borders

Interior CS Kithure Kindiki on Thursday said the security situation in Turkana County has considerably improved since the commencement of Operation Maliza Uhalifu a year ago.

The recruitment, training and deployment of National Police Reservists (NPRs), he said, has significantly augmented the efforts of the formed-up units of the security agencies.

He said it has resulted in normalcy on the Kitale-Lodwar Highway and several other areas within Turkana County that were experiencing insecurity.

He however noted there have been occasional attacks which the government will address.

"Occasional attacks in the areas contiguous to the Turkana-West Pokot border and at a few points near Kenya's border with Uganda and South Sudan remains an outstanding assignment which the Government aims at addressing," he said.

The CS was speaking after holding a status of County Security Appraisal Forum with the Turkana County Security and Intelligence Agency Heads at Lodwar Town.

Operation Maliza Uhalifu was launched in February 2023, following continuous violent activity by bandits in North Rift.

The operation is led by police forces and supported by the military in a multi-agency security team that also consists of National Police Reserve forces – volunteers operating as supplementary forces within their communities.

Turkana County has been grappling with persistent insecurity, largely attributed to frequent conflicts between the Toposa community from South Sudan and the Turkana community in Kenya.

Last November during a fact-finding mission led by the National Assembly Administration and Internal Security Committee, headed by Ali Rasso (Saku), conducted visits to various hotspots in Turkana East and Turkana West to investigate the ongoing tensions.

The committee discovered that the Turkana people have raised concerns about encroachments by Toposa pastoralists into their territory.

In an attempt to address security issues, Kindiki last week unveiled the new equipment to be used in the fight against crime, especially terrorism and banditry.

This is part of the government's ambitious plan to modernise security equipment over five years for Sh37 billion.

Kindiki said the government remains focused on complete suppression and neutralisation of terrorism, banditry, livestock rustling and other organised criminal activities.

 “The sure way of turning around our national security and putting Kenya on a firm path to equitable development and shared prosperity," he said

The CS said the equipment and kitting of frontline officers remains a key deliverable priority for the Kenya Kwanza administration.

They are deployed in Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) in Northeastern, the Boni enclave in Lamu, Upper Eastern and North Rift.