Interior Cabinet Secretary Matiang'i has been put on the spot by leaders and residents in the Marsabit region for what they termed as failure to act on security in the troubled region.
Speaking at the burial of three victims of the banditry attacks in the region on Saturday, April 30, the leaders called for stern action to be carried out by the government and not on the basis of false hopes.
They questioned Matiang'i's promise a week prior, whereby he had assured locals that the government would apply the full force of the law to restore peace in the area.
"Our government is capable of fighting Al Shabaab and it has done so in neighbouring countries. There is no way that a militia located within its territory can overcome it."
"CS Matiang'i stop making threatening statements in Nairobi saying he will send the military in Marsabit and nothing is happening," a section of the leaders opined.
Days after a bandit attack this past week that left two local administrators dead, Matiang'i had vowed to arrest the situation by beefing up the security within the region.
He further pointed fingers at the political class in Marsabit, accusing them of driving divisive politics in a bid to settle scores, leading to bloodshed.
He likened the conflict in the county to the 1994 genocide in Rwanda between the Hutu and Tutsi that left at least one million people dead and millions of others displaced.
"We will apply the maximum force of fire in the best interest of innocent people who are suffering in the hands of irresponsible selfish reckless politicians who are separating people along ethnic lines," Matiangi had vowed.
"There is no part of this country where one group of people speaks about their group of people the way it happens in Marsabit. It actually reminds you of the situation in Rwanda," the CS stated.
In a statement issued by police spokesperson Bruno Shioso, he castigated the incident that saw five people including a Chief and his assistant killed by gunmen.
Further, twelve people went missing following the incident with police noting that investigations were underway in order to trace their whereabouts.
The attack is suspected to be part of ongoing conflict between communities in the region.
