Lawmakers call for military deployment in North Rift to control banditry
Legislators drawn from the volatile and banditry prone North Rift region have asked President William Ruto to invoke Article 241(3) of the constitution for full military deployment to flush out bandits out of the region.
The lawmakers led by Saku Member of Parliament Dido Rasso, described the banditry menace as unsustainable with the police-led operation producing low results.
“Parliament must be approached as long as it is reasonably possible for us as MPs to give the military the go ahead to discharge their duties to protect properties and livelihood,” Rasso said.
Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei also called on President Ruto to personally take charge of the situation.
“The people handling the situation no longer have the capacity and we are ready as Parliament this afternoon to receive the application and within ten minutes process the approval,” he said.
Uasin Gishu Senator Jackson Mandago on the other hand called for the arrest of political leaders fueling banditry in the region.
The Senator stated that no leader is above the law pointing out that political leaders have been at the top seat in encouraging banditry by financing the terror groups.
“We want peace to be restored among our People. What’s happening is beyond banditry and Livestock theft otherwise we wouldn’t witness the killing of our children,” said Mandago.
The legislators are also pressing for orders to quarantine Livestock in the North Rift region during the ongoing operation to solve insecurity.
“We are recommending the government to give orders to limit the movement of animals around, they should be quarantined,” said Rasso.
Last month, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki declared a 30-day dusk-to-dawn curfew in five banditry-prone counties.
He said the areas are disturbed and dangerous with the security situation in the region now considered a National Emergency.
The five counties included Turkana, West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo, Laikipia and Samburu.
Over 100 civilians and 16 police officers had been murdered in bandit attacks in the last six months.
