The Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration Prof. Kithure Kindiki appeared before the Senate this Wednesday to answer to questions from Senators. The inaugural appearance of Cabinet Secretaries in the Senate started with questions from Samburu Senator Dr. Lelegwe Ltumbesi.

𝐒𝐄𝐍. 𝐃𝐑. 𝐋𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐆𝐖𝐄 𝐋𝐓𝐔𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐒𝐈:What is the state of security in Samburu West Constituency currently, in light of the deployment of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) to support the ongoing security operation?

𝐂𝐒 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐅. 𝐊𝐈𝐓𝐇𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐊𝐈:The status of security in Samburu County since the deployment of the military to support the police has improved tremendously. The situation has improved from what was the case before the operation was declared. We immediately identified certain parts of Samburu County and the other 4 counties which were being used to hold and hide bandits and we asked members of the public to vacate from those places. These are not habitual places of residence. We had established that after stealing livestock, these bandits would retreat to very remote caves and gorges which are not places of habitual residence, hide there and could survey or try and track what the rest of our agencies were doing and the rest of the public and plan further attacks from there. After we gave the 24 hour orders for the public to leave those dangerous places, some criminals took the 24 hour notice to mix with the rest of the population. All the places that were used as hide outs for bandits in Baringo, Laikipia, Samburu, Turkana, West Pokot and Elgeyo Marakwet counties have been cleared and dominated by security forces. Our presence in those areas is going to remain even after we call off the operation to ensure those bandits do not go back to those caves and gorges. The operation in our view is a success.

𝐒𝐄𝐍. 𝐃𝐑. 𝐋𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐆𝐖𝐄 𝐋𝐓𝐔𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐒𝐈:What measures is the Government taking to enhance security in Samburu County and could the Cabinet Secretary indicate the plans in place to facilitate the communities from Longewan Escarpment, Pura Valley and Nolkera areas, which vacated their lands following a directive by Interior Cabinet Secretary to safely return and commence cultivation, in view of the ongoing long rains season?

𝐂𝐒 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐅. 𝐊𝐈𝐓𝐇𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐊𝐈: The measures that we are taking other than military and police action include improving our intelligence, we have deployed and enhanced the specialized operation group. I want to assure the nation that every criminal holding firearms illegally must surrender them, they either surrender the firearms or we will take them by all means possible.

𝗦𝗘𝗡. 𝗗𝗥. 𝗟𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗚𝗪𝗘 𝗟𝗧𝗨𝗠𝗕𝗘𝗦𝗜:What is the government policy on recovery of stolen property that is livestock and compensation if the government is unable to take action? What measures do you plan to implement in order to guarantee the safety and security of administrators, in this case the chiefs operating in areas prone to banditry? Is the CS considering providing them with training and arms to enhance their security?

𝐂𝐒 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐅. 𝐊𝐈𝐓𝐇𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐈𝐊𝐈 We have made a tremendous improvement in terms of recovery of stolen livestock, we are compiling data backwards just to show what we have done. We have had recoveries in Laikipia, Baringo and even Samburu Counties. Out of the 500 livestock stolen, we have recovered 200. These criminals once they steal, they separate these livestock in small groups then disappear. Our officers are trained and equipped. Right now pending before the National Security Council is a proposal for limited issuance of firearms to all chiefs, assistant chiefs and ACCs in specific areas which are facing harsh insecurity so that they can support the National Police Service and also for protecting themselves.

𝐒𝐄𝐍. 𝐖𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐌 𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐏𝐓𝐔𝐌𝐎:Around 2016/2017 your ministry gazetted a number of administrative units in various counties in our country, this created new locations, sub locations, divisions and some sub counties, up to today, those gazetted units have not been activated, when will you operationalize the units gazetted?

𝗖𝗦 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗙. 𝗞𝗜𝗧𝗛𝗨𝗥𝗘 𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗞𝗜:All the gazetted administrative units will be operationalized but due to budgetary constraints we have decided to operationalize them in 3 phases starting this financial year. We will have an objective criteria of identifying which of them go to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd phase.  

𝐒𝐄𝐍. 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐅. 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐓 𝐊𝐀𝐌𝐀𝐑:Is there a policy of handling people who have been displaced by the government? Is there a policy where food must be provided, sanitation must be provided because people are told to move and they are not told where to move to and how they are going to live?

𝗖𝗦 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗙. 𝗞𝗜𝗧𝗛𝗨𝗥𝗘 𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗞𝗜:Any Kenyan who was displaced as a result of the ongoing security operation or for whatever other reason, the policy of the government of Kenya is to resettle them. We have begun tracking whether there are any victims of the orders that I issued, if there are any genuine people who were displaced, the government of Kenya will facilitate either their return or settlement so that no Kenyan is deprived of their property or removed from their habitual places of residence.

𝗦𝗘𝗡. 𝗞𝗔𝗧𝗛𝗨𝗥𝗜 𝗠𝗨𝗥𝗨𝗡𝗚𝗜: What immediate measures is the ministry taking to make sure that area is considered in a very special way so that the custom of banditry can stop so that they can start farming and doing other things besides militarization of the region?

𝗖𝗦 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗙. 𝗞𝗜𝗧𝗛𝗨𝗥𝗘 𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗞𝗜: We will roll out all the other interventions in terms of the social, economic, infrastructure and amenity development, and peace building as well. The ministry has already generated the appropriate framework for the reconstruction of all the affected areas as promised by President William Ruto.

𝗦𝗘𝗡. 𝗗𝗥. 𝗕𝗢𝗡𝗜 𝗞𝗛𝗔𝗟𝗪𝗔𝗟𝗪𝗘:Kenyan would like to know the role played by political leaders including sitting MCAs and sitting members of parliament who we believe are part of the problem of incitement, problem of giving logistical support, problem of funding and problem of procuring markets where these animals are sold as far away from North Eastern as Nairobi in Dagoretti. And do you have a plan to disband that structure of security called police reservist?

𝗖𝗦 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗙. 𝗞𝗜𝗧𝗛𝗨𝗥𝗘 𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗞𝗜: We have made significant progress in tracking and nailing the masterminds of banditry. We have in our radar a number of politicians of different cadres whose activities have been linked to the support, funding and encouragement of banditry. We have crucial evidence, some of which was collected at the scene of crime which incriminates political leaders and other people. We will have high profile arraignment of the commanders of bandits whether they are civilian commanders, politicians et cetera. We want to build a case that will succeed in court.