Wednesday, April 3, 2024 - Inspector General of Police Japheth Koome has announced the creation of a Multi-Agency Command Center for Isiolo, Meru, Laikipia, and Samburu as a new measure to tackle banditry.
Koome announced the measures in
a high-level meeting held in Kabarnet, Baringo County where he met with other
heads of police in the affected areas.
More measures will also feature
the deployment of new specialized equipment within the regions.
Additionally, the IG confirmed
that there were new police units formed to beef up security in the
banditry-prone areas.
“We have now established a
multi-agency command centre for Isiolo, Meru, Laikipia, and Samburu, deployed
additional new sophisticated equipment, and Formed Police Units in the affected
areas including Loruk and Mukogodo to beef up the ongoing Operation Maliza
Uhalifu North Rift,” read the statement in part.
Further, the IG expressed
his faith in the new strategy noting that the previous creation of a
multi-agency security team named the Chemolingot Multi-Agency Operation Centre
had managed to quell the clashes in 2023.
“In February last year, the
Government declared the security situation in six Counties namely Turkana, West
Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo, Laikipia and Samburu as a security emergency
caused by rampant incidents of banditry,” explained Koome.
However, he cautioned the
bandits noting that the government would not back down in the fight against
banditry.
“Let me be clear, that whether
the resurgence of these attacks is attributed to retaliations among members of
communities, or collaboration among communities to attack members of other
communities, or be they targeted attacks on security personnel and
installations, expansionist tendencies or the commercialization of banditry as
the case has been, my message to the bandits is one: stop or face the full
force of the law,” explained Koome.
Koome has been missing in action
in the war against banditry in Rift Valley and Kenyans were beginning to worry.
The Kenyan DAILY POST
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