Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has announced that Operation Maliza Uhalifu will be extended to parts of Meru, Isiolo and Marsabit counties.
This move is aimed at effectively degrading bandit networks, under the operation that begun on February 14, 2023.
"New areas in the Northern Grazing Area in Meru North, parts of Isiolo and Marsabit and banditry hotspots in Samburu will shortly come under curfew and emergency measures to facilitate the flushing out of bandits and recovery of stolen livestock," Kindiki said.
The CS stated that additional areas will be gazetted as 'Disturbed and Dangerous' as the operation assumes its third phase.
"We must finish this job. Killing of civilians and security officers, and theft of livestock has been happening in Isiolo, Marsabit and Meru North," Kindiki said.
He vowed not relent until this problem of cattle rustling is completely eradicated.
"Into 2024, government remains glued to the vision of defeating banditry, destroying its evil infrastructure and building resilience of affected communities and mainstreaming them into national development," he said.
Going further, CS Kindiki explained that the ministry is firming up its security interventions in the area of Eastern Region because the menace of livestock rustling is affecting people, noting that perpetrators must be dealt with ruthlessly.
"We will conduct a major operation, never seen before, with such intensity, to tame these few criminal elements," he said.
Kindiki spoke on Thursday when he held a strategic, review and forward planning engagement with security teams from Rift Valley and Eastern Regions, and Formation Field Commanders at Archer's Post in Samburu County.
During the meeting, he reviewed operations at the Archer's Post Multi-Agency vehicle check point.
The CS said the point is making critical contributions to the fight against flow of illicit arms, trafficking in persons and movement of narcotics and psychotropic substances along the Moyale-Isiolo-Nairobi Highway.
He also boasted that Maliza Uhalifu that has been operational in specific parts of six North Rift Valley Region has been successful and up to 70 percent of the challenge has been dealt with.
He noted that some of the most notorious hotbeds of banditry have been handled, however there is a few problematic areas where sporadic attacks have been staged.
"It is not possible in this day and age to allow a few criminals to terrorise innocent citizens, impoverish them economically and aim their weapons at citizens and security officers, killing some of them and critically injuring others," Kindiki said.
The CS passed the government's condolences to the families of those who have been harmed by bandits.
Further, Kindiki assured that the government stands in solidarity with the frontline officers who have sacrificially fallen in the line of duty.
