Nairobi — Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki on Wednesday met with elected leaders from Baringo to discuss the security situation in the North Rift region.
The leaders were led by Baringo senator William Cheptumo and Baringo South MP William Kamket.
The meeting comes two weeks after the Interior CS held a similar consultative meeting with leaders from West Pokot and Baringo counties.
The Ministry of Interior and National Administration (MINA) said the meeting which was attended by among other leaders Tiaty MP William Kamket and his Pokot South counterpart David Pkosing was in line with the presidential directive on hastening an end to cattle rustling and banditry in the North Rift and other parts of the country.
"Interior CS Kithure Kindiki this morning hosted leaders from West Pokot County and the neighboring Tiaty constituency in Baringo County for discussions on effective ways to combat cattle rustling and related challenges in their region," MINA reported on November 9.
The rising cases of insecurity in the North Rift have led to the loss of hundreds of lives, displacement of residents, and loss of thousands of livestock.
President William Ruto has since ordered a crackdown against cattle rustling and lawlessness that has plagued the North Rift region and other arid parts of the country.
He warned that the government will deal ruthlessly with armed criminals hiding under cultural practices to steal livestock while killing and maiming innocent citizens.
President Ruto directed the Rift Valley Regional Commissioner, Mohammed Maalim, and County Commissioners from affected counties to immediately recruit and deploy police reservists to complement security teams on the ground.
MINA said it was working on logistics to ensure security operations are scaled up.
"The reservists who are traditionally drawn from local communities are regarded as an effective bulwark against bandits and cattle rustlers due to their knowledge of the tough terrain and hiding spots relied on by the criminals to wage attacks and to frustrate security operations," the ministry said.
