Kindiki: Additional Sh100m allocated to rebuild 20 schools destroyed by bandits

The government will allocate an additional Sh100 million to rebuild the more than 20 schools destroyed by bandits in the border schools in the North Rift region, bringing the budget for the project to Sh200 million.

While presiding over the graduation of more than 200 National Police Reserve (NPR) officers in Kimalel, Baringo South on Thursday, Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof Kithure Kindiki said the first tranche of Sh100 million had already been released by the government and reconstruction would begin soon.

The military, he said, is working with the Ministry of Education to rebuild structures.

"I am aware that the money may not be enough given the level of damage in some of the schools. I have visited some of the affected institutions and we are working very hard to secure an additional Sh100 for the project," said Prof Kindiki.

To improve learning and ensure retention of learners in the border schools in Baringo North and Baringo South sub-counties, he said the government will also deploy more than 100 new teachers who will be recruited from the local community by the Teachers' Service Commission.

The CS also announced the opening of security roads in areas gazetted as troubled and dangerous and the mobilisation of equipment, some of which will be operational in two weeks' time.

"Next week, I will also announce new administrative units in the affected areas, including Baringo, to bring government services closer to the people. This will include new locations, sub-locations, divisions and sub-counties," added CS Kindiki.

Going forward, he warned police officers that cases of cattle rustling and bandit attacks in the porous villages should not be reported again, noting that the multi-agency team conducting security operations in the six counties of Baringo, Turkana, West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet, Laikipia and Samburu must find a way to prevent such incidents.

In the event of an attack, he said, stolen livestock must be traced, recovered and returned in full to the people from whom they were stolen, and to underscore his sentiments, he ordered the police to ensure that the more than 200 cattle looted by bandits at Loruk border post in Baringo North on Wednesday are recovered with immediate effect.

"In the likely event of an attack, all stolen livestock should be recovered and returned to their owners. On behalf of the government, we assure Kenyans that we are focused on this matter," he said.

However, he ordered the security team to ensure that the bandits do not return to their hideouts.

"We have flushed the bandits out of their hideouts, but let's make sure they don't return. The inter-agency team should ensure that these places remain off-limits to criminals for the rest of our time," he warned.

Prof Kindiki also vowed that he would be the minister to oversee the end of barbaric banditry in the volatile counties once and for all.

"We appeal to Kenyans to be patient and give us some time because it will not be done in a single day. We have arrested several criminals who have been wreaking havoc in the border areas and when I come back here in two weeks, I will give you the list of suspects and the courts where we have taken them so that you know what we are doing," the CS added.

He also indicated that the multi-agency team deployed for the exercise had managed to flush out the bandits from their hideouts in valleys, gorges, hills and escarpments.

The ongoing operation involves the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), National Police Reservists (NPR), RDU, ASTU and the General Service Unit (GSU).

"The operation has been successful. Our security officers have managed to flush out the bandits from their hideouts in the valleys, gorges, hills and escarpments. All the areas previously inhabited by the bandits are now controlled by the security officers.

He added: 'President William Ruto's directive is to bring an end to this perennial problem. Anyone, whether a civil servant, a politician, a businessman or a religious leader, who stands between Kenya and the end of banditry will face the wrath of the law of this country. That is the position of this government.

As a long-term measure to end the menace, he said, the government is also building peace institutions among the warring communities in the North Rift.

"The President has already given us guidelines and we are working with local leaders to identify places where we will build boarding schools, day schools to bring children from all communities together and take away the idea that they can make a living by stealing from a neighbouring community.

He also indicated that the government would recruit NPRs in Tiaty, but on the condition that they first hand over the thousands of illegal guns in the constituency that have been used for banditry.

The 200 graduates of the one-month paramilitary training will be deployed in Baringo North and Baringo South to complement the joint police-military operation.

"The government will ensure that every NPR in the country is covered by the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) from July 1, which will be extended to their family members. We will also provide them with a full uniform including footwear and the government is also reviewing their stipend," the CS said.

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