Kindiki gazettes names of 8 suspects linked to terrorism

By Peter Ochieng

Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Interior and National Administration Abraham Kithure Kindiki has gazetted names of 8 people linked to terrorism in the country.

The gazette notice is dated 19th January, 2024.

"In exercise of the powers conferred by section 3 (3) of the Prevention of Terrorism Act, the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration declares the following entities to be specified entities for the Act," the notice reads in part.

The 8 suspects are Ramadhan Adan, Yusuf Abdalla Mustafa, Philip Kariuki Karanja alias Rashid Abdalla, Milan Mahugu Simba, Bahati Bora Uzima, David Wambua, Simon Karuga Gitau and Musa Abdallah Kassim.

Section 3 of the terrorism Act requires the CS to recieve recommendation from the Inspector General of Police, before getting names of suspects.

"Upon receipt of the recommendation under subsection (1), the Cabinet Secretary may, where he is satisfied that there are reasonable grounds to support a recommendation made under subsection (1), declare, by order published in the Gazette, the entity in respect of which the recommendation has been made to be a specified entity."

He or she is also required to explain why he or she had to take such a decision.

"The Cabinet Secretary shall inform the entity in respect of which the order is made, in writing, of his decision together with reasons for arriving at that decision, within a period of seven days from the date of declaring the entity a specified entity."

The move comes days after the former Tharaka Nithi Senator in his new year message, said his priority in 2024 is safety and security of Kenyans, with focus on winning war against terrorism and banditry.

"2024 will be the year of sustaining and upscaling the war on banditry. We will build on the successes and gains of 2023. We have covered at least 70 per cent of this war and the remaining 30 per cent in a few parts of Samburu East, Samburu West, Isiolo, and Turkana."

In 2023, Kindiki was repeatedly ranked the best performing CS as par results of opinion polls.