A section of parliamentarians on Wednesday, March 8, faulted President William Ruto’s government on how it was handling bandit attacks in the country.
The 20 Members of Parliament (MPs) were drawn from; Turkana, West Pokot, Baringo, Samburu, Elgeyo Marakwet, Nandi and Uasin Gishu Counties.
They were led by senators Samson Cherargei and Jackson Mandago from Nandi and Uasin Gishu counties respectively.
Speaking to the press, the leaders asked Ruto to suspend the joint operation between Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) and National Police Service (NPS).
In place, they asked the President to invoke Article 241(3) of the Kenyan Constitution which would see KDF fully take over the operation.
“Mr President, it is no longer business as usual, as parliament, we are ready to approve KDF deployment anytime.
“That is the only way peace can be restored to enable the reopening of schools and other infrastructure,” Cherargei pleaded with the President.
Article 241(3) states, “The defence forces may be deployed to restore peace in a part of Kenya affected by unrest or instability only with the approval of the National Assembly.”
The parliamentarians argued that with KDF taking charge of the operations, military camps would seal porous borders making sure illegal arms deals do not flourish.
“No community will have any reason whatsoever to have arms in the pretext of defending themselves against external attacks.
“The work of protecting Kenyan citizens is the responsibility of the military according to the constitution,” Mandago remarked.
The request to have KDF take over was made at a time when Samburu residents complained that the joint KDF-Police operation had left them more vulnerable.
“Since the operation kicked in we cannot sleep, we are also being attacked and killed every day,” Reverend Simon Lemarimbe from Malaso, Samburu County complained.
His sentiments were backed by Caroline Lemirai who lamented, “As women, we cannot take it anymore, our children are being killed every day.”
President William Ruto ordered the deployment of KDF to help NPS combat insecurity in North Rift on Monday, February 13 and Defence Cabinet Secretary (CS) Aden Duale gazetted the deployment of KDF soldiers on the same day.
