Nairobi — Defense Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale and his Interior counterpart Kithure Kindiki on Thursday announced that the National Security Council (NSC) will consider a full-scale deployment of Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) in bandit prone areas.
Speaking while they appeared before the joint Parliamentary Committee to shed more light on KDF deployment, Duale said discussions are underway and the NSC will give the way forward.
Duale assured that when the NSC gives a nod, the ministry will seek approval of the National Assembly.
"The deployment was necessitated by persistent insecurity in the gazetted areas. The bandits were targeting police officers in order to advance their activities which include killing and stealing livestock. The police officers in the area faced limited mobility protection hence the need to for support and assistance from the KDF," Duale said.
"We are cooperating with the interior ministry, when and if we feel the KDF needs to take over the mantle we will draft a motion to bring to the House seeking your approval. We will brief the National Security Council and soon we will have a way forward."
The CSs defended governments move to send KDF to the North Rift without Parliament 's approval saying it was a matter of national security which was an emergency and they did not break any law as they only relied on Article 241 section 3 (a) and (b).
The Article 241 indicates that The Defence Forces:
(a) are responsible for the Defence and protection of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic;
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(b) shall assist and cooperate with other authorities in situations of emergency or disaster, and report to the National Assembly whenever deployed in such circumstances; and
(c) may be deployed to restore peace in any part of Kenya affected by unrest or instability only with the approval of the National Assembly.
"This administration will end this problem of the bandits. I am convinced that this is a National Emergency and I am convinced that if we do not finish this here and now, it can develop to be a cancer that would affect our Nation in the future," Kindiki told MPs.
"We are willing to listen to all stakeholders but also, we have decided to serve national interests and remove all other things especially politics from this operation."
The two spoke while they appeared before a joint parliamentary committee on Defense, intelligence and Foreign relations.
CS duale further pointed out that that the presence of the KDF in banditry prone areas is only focused on bridging capacity gap in police service for now.
Bandits and cattle rustlers have in the recent weeks wreaked havoc in the North Rift region leading to loss of lives, loss of livestock and displacement of people with the counties of Baringo, Samburu, Turkana and Elgeyo Marakwet being the most affected.
