Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki on Thursday read the riot act to Baringo county leaders over banditry.
The CS who had hosted Baringo county leadership at Harambee house, reiterated that security operations will not be politicised or ethnicised
Kindiki emphasized that any politician inciting insecurity will be apprehended and prosecuted, regardless of their political affiliation
"Any political leader found culpable of financing, planning or inciting banditry, livestock rustling or retaliatory attacks will be apprehended and arraigned, their political persuasions or influence notwithstanding," he said.
The meeting came after escalating cases of insecurity which has left 10 people dead this month alone.
The latest of the bloodletting is Monday’s killing of two people, including a minor in the Yatya area in Baringo North, which has sparked tension in the area.
Thursday's meeting was attended by Baringo Governor Benjamin Cheboi, Senator William Cheptumo, Woman Representative Florence Jematiah, MPs Joseph Makilap (Baringo North), William Kamket (Tiaty), Musa Sirma (Eldama Ravine), Joshua Kandie (Baringo Central), Charles Kamuren (Baringo South), Reuben Kiborek (Mogotio) and Bishop Jackson Kosgey (Nominated)
The leaders engaged with the Ministry on how they could tackle banditry and livestock rustling, signalling a renewed commitment to address security challenges.
To get long-term solutions to National Security threats, CS Kindiki vowed to continuously engage with various stakeholders and review the interventions required to address historical, current and emerging security challenges from the grassroots, upwards to the National level.
Kindiki stated that the government will deploy more specialised officers to pursue bandits, livestock rustlers and other armed criminals in Baringo and other North Rift Valley Region counties that are facing insecurity.
In addition to that, more National Police Reservists (NPRs) will be recruited and deployed to supplement the role of National Police Service and Kenya Defence Forces officers who are handling Operation Maliza Uhalifu.
However, he made it clear that the recruitment exercise will not be politicised
"National Police Reservists recruitment will not be politicised and the NPRs will be managed by local police commanders," Kindiki said.
The insecurity in Baringo North has been escalating since the beginning of the year, with 9 people shot dead in January.
Among those shot dead was a three-year-old baby.
A few weeks ago, Police in Baringo lobbed teargas to disperse hundreds of demonstrators who were protesting the Baringo insecurity following the killing of the Kagir primary school Headteacher.
Teachers in affected schools today downed their tools to join the protest to express their displeasure against the government's laxity in fighting insecurity in the region.
The protests were led by teachers, residents, MCAs and teacher unions.
Early last year, the government termed six banditry-prone counties in the North Rift among them Turkana, West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo, Laikipia and Samburu as ‘disturbed and dangerous’ and rolled out a massive security operation coordinated by police and assisted by the military following the killing of more than 100 civilians and 24 police officers in six months alone.
The government launched Operation Maliza Uhalifu in Baringo, Samburu, Turkana, West Pokot and Elgeyo Marakwet counties as it moved to flush out bandits from their hideout spots.
