Interior CS Kindiki order civilians residing in bandit prone areas to vacate in 24 hours
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has ordered law-abiding civilians to vacate bandit prone areas in 6 North Rift counties that have been identified as hideouts for bandits.
The areas as identified by the CS as scenes of crime include Korkoron Hills, Tandare Valley, and Silale Gorges in Baringo County Mukogodo Forest; Kamwenje, Warero and Ndonyoriwo; Lekuruki Hills, Losos and Kiape Caves and Sieku Valley in Laikipia county.
Areas of Ltungai Conservancy, Longewan, Nasuur, Lochokia and Lekadaar Escarpments; Lolmolok Caves, Pura Valley, Malaso Escarpment and Suguta Valley in Samburu County have also been declared as scenes of crime.
In Turkana county, residents in Kapelbok, Nakwamoru, Lebokat, Ombollion, Nadomeand Kamur caves are to vacate as well as those from the Turkwell Escarpment at the interface of West Pokot and Turkana counties.
“All law-abiding civilians are hereby ordered to vacate the following areas and coordinates immediately and in any case within twenty-four hours effective Sunday, March 12, 2023,” the statement read in part.
Kindiki warned that any person found in the aforementioned areas as from tomorrow 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 stated that in the last seven months, over 135 Kenyans, including 20 officers, have been killed.
He added that during the week, nearly 12 Kenyans have been killed in Malaso, Pura and Kur Kur areas while 6 others have been murdered in Tot, Elgeyo Marakwet county.
According to the CS, the measures arrived at are set to inflict maximum pain on criminals and neutralise the banditry headache that has been declared a national emergency.
He stated that despite the notice given of voluntary surrender of firearms issued, the bandits still withheld thousands of guns and ammunition.
“We have found a way around the bad terrain. Therefore, security agents will now onwards be taking the war to the bandits. We shall extract them from any forest, cave, gorge, ravine or escarpment within the soil of the Republic of Kenya.
“In the days and months ahead, we shall collect every illegal gun, every weapon in the hands of criminals, whether by voluntary surrender or by force,” Kindiki warned.
In addition to the measures, Kindiki also closed the airspace and banned all low aircraft that were taking part in the ongoing security operations.
“Apart from aircraft taking part in the ongoing security operation, low altitude overflight by any other aircraft over any of therefore specified areas is hereby BANNED with effect from Monday, March 13, 2023, until further notice,” Kindiki stated.
