Trans Nzoia governor, George Natembeya, on Monday, February 13, revealed how he was frustrated by former President Uhuru’s Kenyatta government in his efforts to curb insecurity in the North Rift.
While speaking to the press, the former Rift Valley regional commissioner revealed that all his efforts to end banditry were thwarted.
He further pointed fingers at senior officials in Uhuru’s government who directly sabotaged him in his fight against banditry and cattle rustling.
“Every strategy I implemented as regional commissioner, including disarmament, was not allowed to take place," Natembeya alleged, arguing that senior officers had selfish interests, one of the major mistakes of the Uhuru administration.
“I had no powers to make decisions unilaterally, I had to consult my bosses at Harambee House, but they always ignored my ideas. The former (Interior) PS Kibicho never used to pick up calls. I only spoke to him twice in three years. The PS then never answered my calls, and all our pleas for resources were never met. Only the former President (Uhuru Kenyatta) used to pick up your calls," he further claimed.
Natembeya, in his statement, further reiterated claims he made on Sunday, February 12, that police officers fighting bandits in the region are neglected in remuneration and tactical support.
“I was very frustrated by the time I left the job. Every day I would wake up to prepare a report on how many police officers were killed,” he complained.
He further added that his superiors at the Interior Ministry mostly ignored his calls.
Another blunder Uhuru’s government reportedly made, he revealed, was ordering all police reservists to surrender their guns.
"We were left with only a few police officers who did not even know the terrain. Freshly recruited officers were forced to fight hardened criminals without the community's support," he lamented.
“Security agencies being deployed in the area should know that they are fighting hardened criminals who know combat better than Al Shabaab extremists. The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers should use drones to pinpoint where the bandits are and move to contain them,” he advised.
Natembeyea also alleged that he had the intel on individuals funding bandit attacks in the North Rift. Some were the top officials in the military, police, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), and politicians.
On February 13, President William Ruto ordered joint KDF and police security operations in all bandit-prone areas. The Head of State also announced a three-day voluntary disarmament exercise.
"We are moving into that area and we will not leave until every illegal gun is returned and every child has gone back to school. We will put a stop to losing our security officers at the hands of a few bandits," he read the riot act.
