Volatile counties enjoy calm festive season for the first time in many years
Rift Valley Regional Coordinator Maalim Mohamed during a past security briefing in Baringo County.
For the first time in many years, the volatile counties of Rift Valley experienced a calm festive season with millions of residents enjoying their holidays without banditry attacks.
The traditional restless counties of Samburu, Baringo, West Pokot, Turkana and Elgeyo Marakwet enjoyed a peaceful Christmas with no single incident of cattle rustling or bandits attack reported.
According to the regional coordinator Mohamed Maalim, this is a result of operational orders implemented across all the sub-counties in the 14 counties of Rift Valley where the government deployed a multi-agency security team in the region.
The Isiolo –Marsabit highway which has been a no gone zone was peaceful during the Christmas festive season as security agents patrolled the route.
“We have since contained that highway because we have done sectoral deployment with various multi-agency teams manning that highway,” said Mr Maalim.
Trucks transporting live livestock from Moyale and Marsabit had a safe passage as they were escorted by police to Archers Post in Samburu.
“Criminals who used to intercept the trucks went into hiding after they realized the security was tight,” said Mr Maalim.
“All the volatile counties in Rift Valley have been calm during the festive season so far and no incident of cattle rustling or banditry has been reported so far,” said Mr Maalim.
He added: “Our strategy has worked very well as the year comes to an end and no wonder so far no incident of cattle rustling or banditry attack has been reported in the region and we shall continue to monitor the situation around the clock,” said Mr Maalim.
At the same time, the regional boss said that the recruitment of National Police Reservists (NPR) who were deployed in the region to boost multi-agency teams in Baringo and Elgeyo Marakwet have succeeded.
“The recruitment of NPR has contributed a great deal to the calmness in the region because our regular officers cannot be everywhere,” said Mr Maalim.
The regional boss will lead a high-powered security team to tour the region in all volatile counties on Wednesday to access the security situation ahead of the reopening of the schools in January 2023.
“As the chair of the regional intelligence and security committee we have made adequate security preparations in every sub-county in the 14 counties which have operational order in case of any emergency response,” added Mr Maalim.
He said the government was committed to making sure Kenyans in the volatile region go about their business uninterrupted.
“We have devised stringent measures to check criminals who could take advantage of the festivities to disrupt their peace,” said Mr Maalim.
He said the government was not taking any chance to ensure there is total security in the region and all the security officers in the region were recalled from their leave to beef up security in the region.
“As other Kenyans enjoy their Christmas and New Year festivities our duty is to protect this country and ensure Kenyans enjoy their celebrations uninterrupted. The security officers will proceed for their off duties after the festivities,” said Mr Maalim.
He said the same tactic was deployed during the national examinations in May, June, November and December which saw thousands of students complete their tests without any incident reported.
