The Interior Ministry has reviewed the list issued Sunday of areas where residents should vacate to allow the government room to weed out bandits.
In the earlier order, Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki ordered those living in 27 bandit-prone regions to vacate within the next 24 hours, or else be dealt with as criminals.
He said the areas in Baringo, Samburu, West Pokot and Turkana counties, which he declared scenes of crime, have been providing habitat for the bandits who have claimed hundreds of lives.
In a subsequent order on Monday, the CS excluded Kapelbok, Nakwamoru, Lobokat, Lokoron, the Turkwell Escarpment and Ombollion areas within Turkana and West Pokot Counties from the orders.
“Members of the public are advised to continue with their daily activities, subject to the security measures Gazetted on 13th February 2023 where applicable,” CS Kindiki said.
At the same time, Ng’elecha Hills and Gorges, Ramacha and Losokoni Caves, Laramoru Gorges, Karau Hills, Noosidan Escarpment, Rugus Caves and the Amaya Gorges at the interface of Baringo, Laikipia and Samburu Counties were included in the orders.
“Members of the public should vacate these areas within 24 hours commencing today 13th March 2023 1930 Hours. Any member of the public found in the spaces specified in this paragraph after Tuesday 14th March 2023 1930 Hours will be treated as a suspect of armed banditry, or as a suspect of aiding and abetting banditry, or an accessory after the fact,” he added.
Kamunono, Lobokat KWS, Amolem, Lotongot and Mugus caves, as well as the entire Turkana National Game Reserve, were also included in the reviewed orders, and residents were ordered to vacate these spaces by Tuesday, March 14, at 7:30 p.m..
Banditry has been declared a national emergency and the latest measures are part of the second phase of flushing the culprits out of the North Rift region.
CS Kindiki says he plans to “inflict maximum pain on criminals” and neutralise the banditry through restrictive measures.
On Sunday, he announced that the operation will now be led by an Assistant Inspector General of Police, a scale higher from the first phase which was led by the Rift Valley Regional Commissioner.
