Gov’t announces plans to arm chiefs in bandit prone counties

The government is considering arming chiefs in frontier and banditry prone counties to counter attacks from criminal elements including Al-Shabaab extremists.

While assessing the security status of Tana River County, Interior and National Coordination Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen ordered the immediate transfer of security agents in the county, after it emerged that some officers and administrators had remained in the same station up to 8 years without the mandatory transfer.

The broad day ambush and kidnapping of chiefs in Elwak, Mandera County, by suspected Al-Shabaab militants was one of multiple incidents of attacks on local administrators mandated to secure civilians.

“Corners in the frontline where we have established that chiefs are under imminent and persistent attack should have their chiefs armed. They will undergo another training at the APTC,” said the CS.

Speaking during the Jukwaa La Usalama Security Assessment Baraza, more than 250 officers in Tana River County complained about staying too long at their postings, leading to low morale and inefficiency across security agencies in delivering their mandate.

“Police officers in Tana River who have served for more than three years to be transferred immediately to other parts of the country, and they should also not be transferred to operational areas. They should progress to areas that do not have the hardship they have faced here. I hear others have overstayed for even 14 years, this is wrong,” said Murkomen.

Residents identified boundary disputes due to scarce natural resources such as water, tribal conflicts emanating from distribution of leadership roles, and adverse effects of climate change which cause floods and famine as recurring challenges.

They also continue to take advantage of the online registration exercise undertaken by the Ministry of Interior, to secure IDs, passports, birth and death certificates.