NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 13 — President William Ruto has announced the start of a major operation to mop up illegal arms in the North Rift region beginning Tuesday.
Ruto said Monday the security operation will be conducted by a multi-agency security team including officers drawn from the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).
The Head of State who spoke in Nakuru said he had instructed Defense CS Aden Duale and his Interior counterpart Kithure Kindiki to draw a joint strategy.
He said the operation will seek to end banditry that has rocked parts of the country including the Kerio Valley Belt.
President Ruto further announced a three-day amnesty period for the bandits and anyone with illegal arms to surrender their weapons or face the full force of the law.
“We have said from tomorrow, everybody who is in possession of an unlicensed firearm, that is not government issued, they must surrender in three days,” he said.
The Head of State said that the security agencies will pitch camp in the area until order is restored in the restive North.
“We will not leave that area until every illegal gun has been returned, Until all children have gone to school, and until we have stopped this menace,” he added.
Internal KDF response
This is the first time that President Ruto has considered activating the KDF in the fight against bandits who have continued to wreak havoc in parts of the country.
The directive comes a day after President Ruto reiterated the government’s commitment to stamp out banditry in the country.
Ruto said Sunday that his administration will do everything in its power to rid the region of bandits who continue to wreak havoc in the country with the latest incident being the killing of four people, including three police officers, in Turkana.
The Head of State said that his administration will step up its efforts to restore peace in the region that has suffered the brunt of frequent banditry attacks and cattle rustling.
“We have put in place measures to ensure that we deal decisively with the few individuals who continue to test our resolve by terrorizing the country so that we safeguard the lives of Kenyans,” Ruto said during a public engagement in Nakuru.
