Defence Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has gazetted the deployment of Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) to North Rift to combat banditry after President Ruto ordered a joint operation with the National Police Service.
Duale stated in a notice dated Monday, February 13, that the KDF would assist the National Police Service in dealing with the security crisis in Turkana, West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo, Laikipia, and Samburu counties.
“PURSUANT to Article 241 (3) (b) of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010 as read with sections 31 (1) (a) and (c), 33(1) and 34 (2) of the Kenya Defence Forces Act, 2012, notice is given that on the 15th February, 2023, the Kenya Defence Forces shall be deployed in support of the National Police Service in response to the security emergency in Turkana, West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo, Laikipia and Samburu Counties caused by rampant incidents of banditry,” reads the notice.
This means that Parliament will have to sit to either approve or reject the military deployment.
Meanwhile, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has declared a 30-day curfew in the insecure parts of Turkana, Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo, West Pokot, Samburu and Laikipia Counties.
In his Order, published in the Kenyan Gazette, Kindiki has banned all public gatherings, processions or movement, either alone or as a group during the period of the curfew except as has been permitted in writing by the Inspector-General of the National Police Service.
Kindiki has also declared parts of Turkana, West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo, Laikipia and Samburu as “disturbed” and “Dangerous” allowing use of lethal force on bandits.
In a statement on Monday, Kindiki said security situation prevailing in the Northern Rift Valley Region has been determined as a “National Emergency”.
“During the last six months, over 100 civilians and 16 police officers have been brutally rendered by marauding bandits and livestock rustling terrorists in the Nothern Rift Valley Region in Kenya,” Kindiki said.
