Interior CS Kithure Kindiki has declared a 30-day dusk-to-dawn curfew in five banditry-prone counties starting tomorrow February 14.
Through a gazette notice, the CS has also termed the areas disturbed and dangerous with the security situation in the region now considered a National Emergency.
This will pave way for the planned operations against the individuals behind attacks as the government kicks off a three-day disarmament exercise failure to which those that fail will “meet the full force of the law”.
The counties include Turkana, West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo, Laikipia and Samburu.
He added that in the last six months, over 100 civilians and 16 police officers had been murdered in bandit attacks.
He said the murderous gangs have in the recent past escalated their terror on innocent Kenyans and law enforcement agencies and in the process burnt down schools, police vehicles and other social amenities.
“During the attacks, hundreds of Kenyans have been displaced from their homes. The government has determined the security situation currently prevailing in the Northern Rift Valley Region as a National Emergency. Accordingly, painful and decisive measures must be taken effective immediately,” Interior CS Kithure Kindiki said in a statement.
The move comes barely hours after President William Ruto on Monday ordered a joint security exercise between the National Police Service and the Kenya Defence Forces against banditry in the troubled region.
President Ruto had also ordered Prof Kindiki to camp in the region as the operation kicks off following a week of planning.
“I know we have issues regarding security operations in North Rift. I have instructed Kindiki to leave his office in Nairobi and then go live in North Rift until these citizens stop losing their lives,”said Dr Ruto.
