NAIROBI, Kenya Sep 10 – The government has created a new Sub-County in the troubled Laikipia County with an aim of enhancing security in the wake of a spate of attacks which have claimed about a dozen lives.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi on Friday gazetted Kirima Sub County to be headquartered in Ol Moran where bandits have been reigning in terror leaving a trail of destruction characterized by loss of properties and lives.
“In exercise of powers conferred on me and in an effort to enhance co-ordination of the function of the National Government, the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and Co-ordination of National Government establishes the following administrative unit as service delivery for co-ordination unit,” the gazette notice read in part.
Matiangi issued the gazette ahead of a tour of the region to assess the security situation.
His visit came amid intensified operation by a multi-agency team of officers who deployed in the region to flush out bandits who have been causing mayhem.
Matiangi was expected to announce re-deployments in the region as the government strategized to end the violence that has largely been linked to cattle rustling and herder-farmer conflicts.
While the operation is ongoing, Matiangi Wednesday said the government will help in resettling displaced residents.
The ongoing clashes have left 8 dead people dead, among them three police officers. Many more were displaced.
“The government will assist displaced residents resettle after recent attacks in Laikipia even as we ramp up security and other measures to restore calm and peaceful coexistence among communities in the region,” Matiangi said.
Tiaty legislator William Kamket and ex-Laikipia North MP Mathew Lempurkel were on Wednesday arrested over growing tension in Laikipia where ten deaths have been reported in three months.
Lempurkel was on Thursday released on cash Sh150, 000 cash bail after he denied fanning the clashes in the region while Kamket is yet to know his fate as the court is yet to rule on his incitement to violence case.
Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai on Thursday assured residents that peace had been restored and urged those who had been displaced to return to their homes.
“What I want to confirm to the residents’ communities of Ol Moran, the security has taken charge of this area and we have given no more room for bandits in this area. It is now safe and those who fled can now come back and settle. It is peaceful,” he said when he toured the area.
Rift Valley Regional Commissioner George Natembeya said the clashes were as a result of a well-coordinated conflict and accused unnamed leaders of fanning the conflict.
The National Security Council on Monday declared Laikipia a disturbed region and a security operation area, and declared a dusk to dawn curfew in the troubled Laikipia Nature Conservancy to facilitate a security operation to flush out bandits.
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