Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki on Monday announced that the government had deployed elite General Service Unit (GSU) special forces to the troubled Meru North region.
Kindiki speaking during a tour of the region explained that the deployment had been necessitated by repeated livestock theft in the area.
Justifying the necessity to deploy elite forces, the Interior CS revealed that the criminals were armed and dangerous.
In addition, Kindiki announced that Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU) camps had been increased in the region.
“We commend security officers who have diligently and courageously faced the armed criminals and recovered a substantial amount of the stolen livestock,” Kindiki stated.
The CS added that 140 National Police Reservists (NPR) had started training on Monday to help the disciplined forces bring law and order to the region.
During his tour, Kindiki warned politicians from the region from sabotaging the exercise.
“Security operations must be depoliticised, and any leader, their political persuasion or influence notwithstanding, who incites, finances or plans banditry and livestock rustling will be apprehended and prosecuted,” he warned.
The deployment was announced after a meeting between the CS and top security officers from the region.
Officers who attended the high-level security meeting included members of the Eastern Regional Security and Intelligence Committee, Meru County and Mutuati Sub-county Security and Intelligence teams, and the local commanders of ASTU, GSU, and other security formations.
In May 2023, in an effort to eliminate livestock theft in the region, Kindiki declared the whole of Meru North a security zone.
"The same dedication, vigour, and commitment deployed in the fight against bandits and armed criminals in North Rift will be deployed to neutralise perpetrators and masterminds of livestock theft,” he vowed then.
