Interior CS Kindiki orders herders who invaded private farms in Kitui to leave

Speaking at Mandongoi Primary school in Mwingi North Constituency on Tuesday, Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof. Kithure Kindiki warned pastoralists accusing them of hiding behind the search for pasture and water to invade farms, something which has resulted in conflicts with area residents.

CS Kindiki, therefore, issued an ultimatum to the said herders saying the government would be forced to deploy police officers to forcefully evict them if they did not comply.

“No one has permission to graze their livestock wherever they want without the consent of the owners of those fields. All the grazers and herds people must leave this place before we get to them,” he said.

“I want to challenge the criminals who think they have better weapons, tactics or instruments of violence than the government to dare face us. We will follow them anywhere they are. We won’t leave this area until we end this menace.”

Kindiki encouraged police officers who would be deployed to the affected areas to do their job noting that the government would protect them.

“We cannot wait for another death or crisis before we act. Neither will have a discussion with criminals. Use all the available means to protect the lives and property of peace-loving Kenyans. The government will defend you,” he stated.

In the same light, the CS cautioned area residents against taking the law into their hands saying they risked legal consequences.

The remarks by the CS follow recent hostility between armed herders and locals who accused the pastoralists of deliberately their livestock into farms and thereby destroying crops, resulting in the death of two.

He called for immediate recruitment and training of 250 National Police Reservists (NPR) to beef up security in the area adding that the government would release Ksh.1 million for the completion of a police post under construction in the area to host more police officers to be deployed in the area.

The CS consequently gave the Kitui County security team, in consultation with the Inspector General of Police, two weeks to undertake the exercise and to draw up a strategy to address a long-lasting solution to insecurity in the area.

In addressing the current drought situation, he said the government would increase relief food in the area with priority given to schools and boarding learning institutions.