NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 8 — The government has declared a dusk-to-dawn curfew in three North Rift Counties of Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo, and West Pokot following a spate of bandit attacks that have claimed dozens of lives.
In a gazette notice dated June 3, interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi said the curfew shall apply during the hours of 6.00 pm in the evening and 6.00 a.m. in the morning with effect from June 4, 2022.
The curfew effectively locked up five of the twenty wards in Elgeyo Marakwet as government renewed efforts to tackle banditry in Kerio Valley, a 80 km by 10 km wide area between Tugen Hills and the Elgeyo Escarpment.
The curfew will be enforced in the entire Tot Ward, entire Chesongoch Ward, Tirap Ward, Kapyego Ward and Arror Ward in Marakwet West Sub-County composed.
Matiangi further announced a ban on any kind of gatherings over the 30-day-period the curfew will be in force.
“Under this Order, there shall be no public gatherings, processions or movement either alone or as a group during the period of the curfew,” Matiangi said.
In Baringo County, the order shall apply in the entire Tiaty West Sub-County, Entire Tiaty East Sub-County, and some parts of Baringo North Sub-County.
In West Pokot County the order shall apply in Chesegon and Sigor wards.
Politicians from the affected area have often blamed national administration officials accusing them of deliberately failing to act to contain criminals at the expense of stability in the larger North Rift region.
Among notable insecurity incidents reported in the region include an attack on school buses ferrying students from Tot High School in February which left 8 students injured.
During the attack which targeted a convoy of three buses, a driver assigned to one of the buses later succumbed to injuries sustained from the attack.
In his recent comments on security in the region, Matiangi stated that the belt between Elgeyo Marakwet, West Pokot and Baringo needs a new approach following the failure of current interventions.
The CS vowed to institute enforcement measures “like they’ve never seen.”
He noted that the ministry had exhausted every means in the quest to quell insecurity in the region including asking leaders to have meetings with the community members over the conflicts, measures he said had not borne fruits.
“That time has now come for us to deal with that belt with unprecedented firmness and we are going to apply fire they haven’t seen to bring order to that particular place,” the CS said.
Matiangi said security agencies believe there are several criminal elements in the area who are challenging the resolve of the government.
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