A fresh operation against al Shabaab militia along the Kenya-Somalia border has started after Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki held meetings with teams tasked with the exercise.
The CS spent the better part of Tuesday and Wednesday meeting Special Operations Group (SOG) personnel and other multi-agency teams operating in Mandera, Wajir and Garissa for morale boosting, among others.
He said his visit was meant to motivate frontline security officers and acknowledged their dedication, diligence, and patriotism.
For instance, he visited Kotulo SOG Camp at the intersection of Mandera and Wajir Counties and pledged the government will facilitate the officers with all that is needed to enhance their operations.
The low morale among the SOG members has been the missing link in the fight against the terrorists who have in the past months caused terror in the region.
Officials said the lack of funds for the team’s operations has been hampering their operations.
When Kindiki arrived at the camps he announced to the team all is good and they should progress with the operations, officials said.
The team operates along the border line from Mandera, Wajir, Garissa and Lamu counties. They have thwarted dozens of planned attacks.
Kindiki said the operation is also aimed at providing round-the-clock security to contractors and engineers working on key infrastructure projects in North Eastern Kenya and insulating them from criminal elements and extremists keen on sabotaging their operations.
“Construction of key roads such as Garissa-Wajir-Mandera and Lamu-Mandera roads will open up the North Eastern Region for development and economic growth.”
“The government has upscaled partnerships with the local communities to flush out criminal elements and violent extremists,” he said.
To ensure the safety of security officers, he added, plans are at an advanced stage to procure modern equipment, including choppers, drones, MRAPs, and armoured personnel carriers.
He added the government will invest more than Sh20 billion in the modernisation of security equipment and address the welfare of security officers.
He also met and held a consultative engagement with the local Security and Intelligence Committee, National Government Administration Officers, community and religious leaders.
“Through collaborative partnerships with community and religious leaders, security agencies will crush violent extremists, combat cross-border crime, and facilitate development in the North Eastern region,” he said.
And with the ongoing operation in parts of Somalia against the al Shabaab, Kenya expects the attacks in the border region will continue.
This is after most of the terrorists ran away to find refugees along the border where they cross for the attack.
For instance, gunmen raided a village in Garissa County and killed one person leaving two others with serious injuries.
The gang attacked Bula Hodan's Wagberi Ward on Monday morning before leaving.
Police said the incident happened in the Bulamzuri location, near the Kunaso centre.
According to eyewitnesses, the gang arrived and started firing indiscriminately killing one.
This is the latest terror-related incident to happen in the area amid an operation to address the menace.
The terrorists have been attacking places near the Kenyan border by using guns and explosives leaving dozens dead and many injured.
The gang behind the attacks cross from Somalia and launch them amid a campaign to address the issue.
The terror group has increased attacks in Kenya in a renewed trend that has left more than 30 people dead in the past month alone near the Kenya-Somalia border.
Somalia has not had a stable government after the fall of Siad Barre in 1991.
Kenyan troops are in Somalia under African Union Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) to help in fighting the al-Shabaab terror group. KDF went to Somalia in October 2011.
There are plans to withdraw the troops from the area and let Somalia take over.