NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 19- All chiefs who have overstepped their jurisdictional boundaries in the counties of Wajir, Garissa, and Isiolo have been directed to return to their assigned administrative units with immediate effect or face the sack.
The issue of electoral and administrative boundaries has grown into one of the dominant drivers of frequent inter-communal clashes in the region, to which Interior Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Fred Matiang’i, has mandated the three county commissioners to initiate dismissal procedures against any administrator who defies this directive.
“It has become the nature of our country that when we are approaching an election year, you will often see an escalation of inter-communal tensions, some of them related to [issues like] pasture, but some of them are related to political activity and political expressions,” the Cabinet Secretary said.
He was speaking at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) during a meeting with elected leaders from the counties.
Matiang’i added, “I know that when we have a conflict passion are often inflamed, and there’s always a temptation to point fingers even using language that could aggravate the conflict. It is now our turn to lead the way in observing the agreements that we have reached today. We must check the ways in which we express ourselves.”
Concerns over the insurgence of local militias in the three counties abound, the Cabinet Secretary stated that the government will soon launch an aggressive disarmament exercise, calling for collaboration from the leaders and peace-loving residents in the undertaking.
“It is possible that we have more arms that are in wrong arms. The Inspector General and our team are working on the plan, and we will soon embark on the exercise,” Dr. Matiang’i stated.
An audit of the National Police Reservists (NPRs) and the Kenya Police Reservists (KPRs) in the region is also underway with a view to optimizing their services and streamlining resource management in the security sector.
This will also inform the deployment of personnel and allocation of more resources to prevent further escalation of the clashes.
Dr. Matiang’i also sanctioned the revival of peace committees that will be funded and facilitated by the government through the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) and the National Steering Committee on Peacebuilding and Conflict Management with a view to institutionalizing mediation and alternative conflict resolution mechanisms.
The Cabinet Secretary also took issue with the content aired by some vernacular radio stations and its role in fanning the conflict.
He intimated that he will soon send a cautionary note to the Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK) to begin investigating some notorious FM stations spewing hate before invoking the provisions of the Public Order Act in closing them down.
On the recent murder of a GSU Deputy Operations Director in Kapedo, Dr. Matiang’i restated the commitment to pursuing all the culprits, including some area leaders, to bring them to justice.
The meeting was attended by the Interior Principal Secretary, Dr. Karanja Kibicho; Inspector General of the National Police Service, Hillary Mutyambai; Deputy Inspector General (KPS) Edward Mbugua; his APS counterpart, Noor Gabow; Secretary for National Administration, Athur Osiya; North Eastern Regional Commissioner Nicodemus Ndalana; Eastern Regional Commissioner, Isaiah Nakoru; the three County Commissioners, and area police commanders.
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