President William Ruto has pledged to bring back the five chiefs who were abducted by suspected Al-Shabaab militants on Monday in Mandera County, saying the country will not cede an inch to criminals.
Ruto’s four-day working tour of the Northeastern region began on Tuesday, a few kilometres from the location where suspected Al-Shabaab militants reportedly intercepted a vehicle ferrying the five chiefs who were on official duty travelling to Elwak Town in Mandera County, to prepare the ground for his visit.
According to Ruto, government security agencies, led by the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF), are currently in hot pursuit of the militants and are working to return the chiefs back home.
“Hawa machief lazima warudi nyumbani. Jana hawa magaidi walitaka kuleta hali ya hofu eneo hili; walidhani wakifanya hivyo sitakuja Mandera. Mimi nimekuja Mandera na nikalala Mandera na ikizidi ntalala Mandera,” said Ruto.
Further, Ruto vowed to decimate the militia group, which has been reigning terror in the region.
“We are not going to cede an inch of our country to criminals…we will go after them, deal with them and eliminate them,” he said.The head of state likewise trained his guns on former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, accusing him of driving a wedge between the working class and those yet to secure formal employment.
“Mara wanataka kutugawanya nani wa mlima nani wa bonde. Nani wa mlima nani wa bonde…nani ako na pay slip nani hana pay slip. Hao watu they have no plan, no agenda, they are leaderless,” he said.
The president also promised to end vetting for residents of the northern frontier counties, who have been undergoing mandatory vetting to receive their national identity cards.
“Kesho niko na ceremony kubwa ya kuondoa mambo ya vetting ilikuwa inakandamiza watu wa northern Kenya wakati wanatafuta kitambulisho, ama mambo ya passport,” he said.
As he did in other counties during his trips, the head of state came carrying a bag of goodies for the region, pledging among other things, the construction of a 740km Isiolo-Mandera road, Ksh.1.8 billion for 6 markets and Ksh.2.6 billion for electrification in Mandera County. The county is expected to be connected to the grid from Ethiopia.
