Residents of Athi River have been asked to respect and protect their chiefs in a bid to enhance security in the area.
Speaking in his office on Tuesday, Athi River Deputy County Commissioner Kodeck Makori said some of the residents discriminate the chiefs and at times end up publicly intimidating them.
"Residents of Athi River Sub-County should know that these chiefs are either their sons, daughters, husbands, wives, relatives or neighbours and should stop intimidating them," said Makori.
Makori said cases of chiefs being attacked, injured or killed were on the increase across the country and Athi River Sub-County is not an exception.
He cited a recent incident where Athi River Location Chief Joel Mkwa was attacked and injured for allegedly being part of the provincial administrators who recently called for the suspension of the Standard Gauge Railway project at Kwa Mang'eli slums in Athi River over land dispute claims.
"Chiefs are public caretakers and should therefore not be looked down upon. They are President Uhuru Kenyatta's representatives," said Makori.
Makori said those who disrespect the chiefs equally do so to the president thereby standing high chances of facing the full wrath of the law.
He called on the residents to either seek redress from him or the assistant county commissioners who are chiefs' bosses, whenever they lose confidence in provincial administrators instead of engaging in unnecessary conflicts with them.