Kindiki acts over Sondu insecurity

By Peter Ochieng

Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Interior Abraham Kithure Kindiki has announced measures aimed at taming a wave of unrest in Sondu township, along the Kisumu-Kericho border.

According to a joint statement by Kisumu, Siaya, Homabay and Migori governors, 7 people have been killed, others injured and houses torched on the Kisumu side of the border.

Governors Anyang' Nyong'o, James Orengo, Gladys Wanga and Ochillo Ayacko say that the attacks are being staged by their Kericho neighbours.

CS Kindiki in a statement on Thursday evenning said specialist police personnel have been deployed in the area.

"This evening, the government has deployed a contingent of specialist security personnel to contain the escalation of violent crime in Sondu Town and its environs," said the CS.

"Lives have been lost, property destroyed and civil order grossly undermined during the past two days. The special deployment is to be supervised jointly by the Rift Valley and Nyanza regional security teams with firm instructions to ensure immediate resumption of normalcy and the arrest and prosecution of each and every perpetrator of the horrific crimes that have been committed against the people of Sondu Town and its environs."

In addition, the CS stated that security heads in Kericho and Kisumu counties will soon be transferred.

"In the meantime, it has been decided to transfer all local security heads on both sides of the border and other security and public officers whose want of effectiveness, impartiality and/or competence is deemed to have resulted in the success of the criminals. Additional measures to contain the situation and suppress further crime may be announced tomorrow after a need assessment and review of the efficacy of the measures put in place tonight."

President William Ruto is expected to adresss the issue of insecurity along the Kisumu-Kericho border during his four-day Nyanza tour.

The visit commences on Friday.