Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof Kithure Kindiki on March 12, 2023, listed several areas in the North Rift he said were hideouts for bandits and armed criminals.
The CS in a statement shared in his verified Facebook page said the areas had since been declared scenes of crime.
He therefore asked law-abiding citizens living in the said areas to vacate immediately “and not later than Monday, March 13, 2023 by 8.30am.”
The areas that CS Kindiki is asking members of the public to vacate include: Korkoron Hills, Tandare Valley and Silale gorges in Baringo,z Mukogodo Forest; Kamwenje, Warero and Ndonyoriwo, Lekuruki Hills, as well as Losos, Kiape Caves and Sieku Valley in Laikipia County.
Ltungai Conservancy, Longewan, Nasuur, Lochokia and Lekadaar Escarpments are others also listed alongside Lolmolok Caves, Pura Valley, Malaso Escarpment and Suguta Valley in Samburu County.
“Further, those currently in Kapelbok, Nakwamoru, Lebokat, Ombolion, Nadome & Kamur caves in Turkana; Turkwel Escarpment at the interface of W. Pokot & Turkana counties are hereby ordered to get out before the lapse of the 24-hour ultimatum,” Prof. Kindiki said in the statement.
Everyone must get out
He warned that any person who will be found in the said areas from Monday, March 13, 2023, starting 8.30 AM “will be treated as a suspect of armed banditry or as a suspect of aiding and abetting banditry or an accessory after the fact.”
“Everyone must get out,” he added.
The CS further announced the commencement of the second phase of the security operation in the North Rift.
“To decisively, effectively and ruthlessly deal with bandits and armed criminals who have terrorised the peace loving residents of Turkana, Samburu, Laikipia, West Pokot and Baringo Counties, the second phase of the security operation has commenced,” he said.
Meanwhile, the CS said apart from aircrafts taking part in the ongoing security operation, low altitude overflight by any other aircraft over any of the named areas had been banned with effect from Monday, March 13, 2023, from 8.30 am until further notice.
He further said all other security measures gazetted on February 13, 2023 as subsequently amended remain in place.
A multi-agency security team has been concuducting an operation in insecurity prone North Rift Counties for the last about a month.
While a number of firearms have been surrendered, the region continues to witnessed bandit attacks.
