Deputy President William Ruto's allies led by Mathira Member of Parliament, Rigathi Gachagua, have issued an ultimatum to President Uhuru Kenyatta over the ongoing skirmishes in Laikipia County.
Speaking on Thursday, September 9, Gachagua demanded that Uhuru uses his power as the Commander-in-Chief and deploy Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) to restore calm in the troubled region.
The outspoken lawmaker further asked the Head of State to make the order on deployment as early as Friday, September 10.
"I am calling on our President who is also the Commander-in-Chief to deploy the Kenya Defence Forces in Laikipia to stop the skirmishes and displacement of the population. We elected the President, not Matiang'i and Mutyambai to protect life and property," Gachagua stated.
He asked Uhuru to personally take charge of the operation in order to bring to an end the crisis and ensure that the residents are resettled.
"We ask our President to take personal charge of the situation to have the bandits flushed out, normalcy restored and those displaced assisted to rebuild their lives."
Gachagua argued that it does not make sense that KDF is still on a mission in Somalia yet Laikipia is in a crisis.
"It is purely nonsensical to send out troops to assist in Somalia when our people are being displaced with impunity and government officials admit our police are helpless. Let us deploy the military in Laikipia as early as tomorrow (Friday) morning," Gachagua insisted.
Additionally, he echoed DP Ruto's sentiments that Interior Cabinet Secretary, Fred Matiang'i, and Inspector General of Police, Hillary Mutyambai, were busy politicking instead of addressing the Laikipia issue.
"We are bitter with the wanton butchering of our people in Laikipia as the Interior CS Fred Matiang'i and Inspector General of Police continue meddling with politics and have practically no time to address the crisis."
The Mathira MP also castigated Rift Valley Commissioner, George Natembeya, on his earlier claims that the bandits wreaking havoc in Laikipia had more sophisticated armoury than the Kenya police.
"We are shocked by the statement by the Regional Commissioner that the bandits roaming freely in Laikipia have superior equipment to our police whom he stated that they are helpless," he stated.
The call to deploy KDF to Laikipia was first made by the Council of Governors through their chair, Embu Governor Martin Wambora.
"We are now going back to the 1980s within the epicenter of the volatility known as 'Suguta Valley Triangle' consisting of border areas of seven constituencies; namely Laikipia, Samburu, Baringo, Isiolo, Marsabit, West Pokot, and Turkana county," part of the Council of Governors statement read.
These demands come just after CS Matiangi through a gazette notice dated September 9, ordered for the establishment of an administrative unit, Kirima Headquarters, Ol Moran, to assist in service delivery and coordination of activities in the region.
