Acting Interior CS Dr.Fred Matiang'i (Centre), Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinet(right) and Rift valley Regional Coordinator Wanyama Musiambu(left) during a media briefing in Nakuru on Tuesday.
The Government has maintained that it will not lift the curfew in Lamu County until security is restored in the area.
Speaking in Nakuru on Tuesday after holding a top security meeting for the larger Rift Valley Region, acting Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr.Fred Matiang’i maintained that the curfew was there to stay for security purposes.
The CS stated that he was ready to face it in court and defend the action taken to have the curfew in Lamu County following the security threats in the area.
“As a responsible public officer, I will not lift the curfew in Lamu. It is based on reasons and analysis given to us by the security experts and we have to defend our people. Some of these things are not for jokes,” said Matiang’i.
While calling on Kenyans to maintain peace before, during and after elections, the CS revealed that the security team is well prepared to facilitate the IEBC and support them to deliver their mandate in all the regions.
He commended the larger Rift valley region security team and IEBC for the preparedness towards ensuring peaceful elections.
“We have a national security plan to see how we can support the IEBC to conduct the 2017 general elections especially in the larger Rift valley and the nation at large. I can now confidently tell the nation that our security team is ready,” he said.
On the recent attacks in Laikipia County that led to the security operation in the area, the CS was categorical that the operation will not be suspended as that has been of negative impact to the nation.
He said a time has come that the matter has to be sorted out once and for all as the country has been affected in terms of business.
“Let me pronounce myself clear on the issue of Laikipia that it is high time that we sort out that once and for all,” he said.
His sentiments echoed by Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinet who called on Rift valley resident to maintain peace before, during and after elections.
Boinnet reiterated that the operations in Baringo and Laikipia will go on until the area is cleansed off criminals.
“The operations will go on until we cleanse out the criminals in the areas,” he said.
Sentiments echoed by Rift valley Regional Coordinator Wanyama Musiambu who said the Laikipia and Baringo operations will go on.
The RC noted that the operation targets a few individuals who are out to cause mayhem and to disrupt the general peace in those counties.
“As people of Rift valley we want to assure you of security and that the operations in Laikipia and Baringo will continue in fact we will be more robust. They are only a few fellows who are out to cause mayhem to disrupt peace,” he said.
The RC once again sounded a warning to a few individuals going around rumor mongering that Rift valley is not safe.
He said such people will face the wrath of the law adding that anyone with security threats should report to the relevant security authority.