Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i has announced plans to counter criminal groupings that have been harassing residents of the coastal region over the past few days.

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The groups which include Wakali Kwanza, Wakali Wao and Wajukuu Wa Bibi have wrecked havoc in the region, with their operations including slashing and assaulting locals.

Speaking in Nyeri county on Thursday, the CS said he will lead an unprecedented police force that will subject members of the groups to unprecedented combat henceforth.

He added that he will be pitching camp in the region for a week, adding that the state will not condone threats on the lives of her people, after 15 victims were reported to have been slashed with machetes.

“I want to assure the people of Kenya that we are prepared to deal with that. In fact, I am going to spend a good part of my time next week in Coast region because of these issues. We are going to apply unprecedented pressure on these groups. We will not play around with the lives of our people," he said as quoted by People Daily.

He linked the groups to politicians, terming them a product of political mobilisation, and pledging the government's readiness to act before the situation gets out of hand.

"Under the guise of political mobilisation, we are seeing possible signs of attempts or efforts to revive or recreate criminal gangs. Not just here in the Central part of the country, but the rest of Kenya. What is going on in the Coast region is a feature of that,” said the CS.