“They had been persuaded to come to a safer place to the town, unfortunately for one reason or another they did not”/FILE
Speaking on Citizen TV’s Cheche programme on Wednesday morning, Ruto said: “The 36 Kenyans, unfortunately we lost them, they had been informed in time; they had been persuaded to come to a safer place to the town, unfortunately for one reason or another they did not.”
He now regrets that “we should have actually forced them out.”
The quarry workers, mainly from Nyeri County, were killed when more than 20 Al Shabaab militants raided the quarry, about 15 kilometers from Mandera town and forced them to lie face down before they blew their heads off.
“Even after they were informed that this is not safe for you, you better move out that place, they still insisted on staying there, unfortunately we learn a lot of lessons. We are re-strategising to make sure our security forces read from the same script to be able to protect Kenyans,” he said.
The government has vowed to deal ruthlessly with terror groups in the country in the wake of persistent criticism from Kenyans and the Opposition, leading to the removal of Joseph ole Lenku and David Kimaiyo from the security docket.
President Uhuru Kenyatta has already nominated Kajiado Central MP Joseph Nkaissery, who is a retired Major General to replace Lenku as Cabinet Secretary for Interior and Coordination of National Government.
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