Deputy President William Ruto has pledged to build a military barrack in Kibish subcounty in Turkana if he is elected president on August 9.
Ruto further pledged to put up a garrison in Lodwar and a new police station in Lokichogio to address insecurity in the semi-arid county.
Addressing a campaign rally in Kaikor area, the Deputy President assured that work on the three projects will commence early next year.
“You pay taxes like other Kenyans. It is therefore our duty to ensure your livestock, children, family members and businesses are safe,” he said.
He thanked Turkana Governor Josephat Nanok’s administration for donating land where the barrack in Kibish will be built.
“We want to make sure the region is safe because without adequate security, all other pledges we have made cannot be fulfilled. We want to make sure officers will be nearby to provide security,” he said.
Ruto said officers stationed in the area will work hand in hand with their counterparts in Uganda, Ethiopia and South Sudan to provide security in the region.
“Our officers here will work together with those from neighbouring countries to ensure people farm and keep livestock without problems and do other businesses,” he added.
Limited rainfall in Turkana has meant less pasture and water for the nomadic community. The scarcity of essential resources has been the main cause of conflict in Turkana.
Internal wars in Ethiopia, South Sudan and Uganda have also spilled over into Kenya.
On Sunday, the Deputy President also pledged to double the number of National Police Reservists in the area.
“We will double the number and also make sure they are well equipped. We do not want to hear of cattle rustling again. We want out children to go school uninterrupted,” he said.
Ruto urged residents in the area to come out in large numbers and vote for him saying he has their interest at heart.
He told residents to ignore claims by Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga that there is a plot to rig elections.
“You have heard him now demanding that manual register must be used. We will have an election whether he likes it or not. He should stop intimidating people giving conditions. Kenya is not for him it is for all of us,” Ruto said.
Ford Kenya party leader Moses Wetang’ula said it was absurd for their rivals to claim they are losing faith in the electoral body.
“We heard our competitors saying they have no faith in the IEBC. We want to tell them, they have no right, capacity and ability to interfere with the work of IEBC. We will not allow them to destroy constitutional bodies,” he added.
“Kenya Kwanza has faith in IEBC and we are sure they are going to do a good job. You cannot chose the referee when you are a player.”
He said Azimio leaders have sensed defeat and are now looking for scapegoats.
“Your first excuse cannot be the IEBC. In 2017, you did not want manual register to be used, what has changed now?” Wetang’ula posed.
On Saturday, Azimio leaders asked the electoral body to stop listening to “other voices” but stick to the code of election laws.
Addressing a rally in Kakamega, the leaders led by Raila claimed Kenya Kwanza had infiltrated the electoral body.
On Sunday, Nanok told Turkana residents to reject Raila saying the Azimio candidate abandoned them after they supported him in 2017.
“That person should not get anything here because he forgot us after elections. Whatever little he got, he went with all of it to his people,” he said.