Nairobi — The government has announced plans to fence liberated valleys, gorges and caves used as hideouts by bandits in the North Rift regions in a bid to preserve them form reoccupation.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki on Thursday ordered the immediate fencing of Korkoron hills and caves, Tandare Valley, Arabal Hills, Ng'elecha Ravine and Mukogodo forest saying a joint security taskforce had successfully flushed out bandits and armed criminals.
Speaking when he presided over the pass out of 200 newly trained National Police Reservists at Kimalel Grounds in Baringo, Kindiki said that the move is aimed at barring the expelled bandits from returning to the liberated areas.
"All these places are now free from bandits, but we must make sure they don't return there again. Therefore, our NPS officers, the multi-agency teams here including our partners in this effort-the KDF, we must make sure that these places remain out of bounds for bandits and criminals for the rest of our time," he said.
"We must not entertain a situation where theses criminals sneak back in the name of anything. These are now crime scenes we have sealed them off, they can graze and do whatever else elsewhere."
The Interior CS warned that going forward, anybody found in the mapped areas will eb treated as a suspect of banditry and will be dealt with accordingly.
Kindiki also disclosed that security camps will be set up in those areas to ensure that the armed criminals and bandits do not regroup.
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The areas to be fenced are among the 27 gorges, escarpments, caves, ravines, hills, and forests where the government ordered the evacuation of residents on March 13, when security forces moved in to expel bandits under the Operation Maliza Uhalifu.
They are in the six counties in the North that were declared disturbed and dangerous in March this year.
Despite the ongoing operation in the North Rift, some parts including Samburu, Turkana, Elgeyo Marakwet, West Pokot, have continued to witness recurrent attacks.
On Wednesday, CS Kindiki announced a 30-day extension of orders designating parts of six bandit-prone counties in the North Rift as disturbed and dangerous.
These orders were initially issued on March 12, 2023, to facilitate Operation Maliza Uhalifu, a joint security operation involving the National Police Service and Kenya Defence Forces personnel.
CS Kindiki made the announcement after visiting Laikipia County to assess the progress and challenges of the ongoing security operation aimed at eradicating banditry.
He emphasized the government's unwavering commitment to restoring peace in the restive North.
"I cannot provide a specific timeline for the conclusion of the operation because it will end only when all bandits and armed criminals are effectively dealt with," Kindiki said.
The Interior CS urged Kenyans to be patient and support the government in its efforts to liberate the region that has suffered decades of violence.
