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"id": 1230488,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1230488/?format=api",
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"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "The Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration",
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"content": "then action will be taken. However, it could have been any other licensed firearm owner, as civilians are also permitted to carry firearms and can cause fatalities during riots. The third supplementary question was raised by the Member for Samburu. I want to assure the House, through you Hon. Speaker, that the deaths that have been caused in Samburu and other parts of the country because of livestock rustling and banditry are regrettable. Two, we have had an operation going on there, but we continue to experience incidences of bandit attacks from time to time. What has happened is that we have been able to dominate the permanent hideouts where we suspected bandits were hiding whenever they steal livestock; and because of the international standards on the use of force, that is the only reason we gave a 24-hour ultimatum to any members of the civil population who could have been mixed up in those areas by way of being family members to the bandits and so on to vacate. After that, we have been able to remove and dominate those areas, and we have managed to remove the threats that used to exist in those areas. However, the spill of what has happened is that during that window of notice that we had given, to be able to ensure that we do not have civilian casualties, some of those criminals could have mixed with the population; and because the security forces cannot be everywhere and guard every homestead, they are making sporadic raids which are sometimes successful. We have prevented and even recovered livestock numerous times, on a daily basis. I am even willing to table how many livestock have been stolen in all those counties, how many have been recovered and where, and how many are outstanding within the time that we have had an operation in the North. We have not made full recoveries and the reason is simple. As soon as a raid is successful, the criminals divide the livestock into small numbers of five, ten or so and the recovery process is a bit slow and painful. We, however, have made some significant recoveries. I have evidence as late as yesterday where we recovered livestock in Laikipia. The challenge still exists. We do not wish to deny that the challenge exists. This challenge did not begin this year, last year, five years ago, or ten years ago. In certain parts of this region, this issue has existed since 1977. We are doing everything possible to make sure that we put an end to this problem. It cannot be done in a month, two months, six months or one year, but we will reach there. It does not matter what it takes. We appeal for patience and understanding, and we know that we will get around it as soon as we continue this domination of those areas where the bandits retreat to when they steal livestock. In fact, we are upscaling the number of security agents that we have. We are doubling them on Saturday and as I have announced, this deployment will not cease with the end of the operation. Whenever the operation will be called off, the security agencies will remain there for as long as Kenya exists. This is to ensure that this problem does not recur, because previously we have done an operation and as soon as there is a semblance of tranquillity, we recall the security agencies. The fourth supplementary question was raised by the Member for Ugunja, Hon. Opiyo Wandayi. I would like to assure the House that the Government has no double standards or does not respond to security threats based on where they have been. In the matters that the Hon. Wandayi has raised, in fact, we acted even faster, but there was no question asked for us to report what we had done. I want to confirm to the House that the same measures we applied in Chuka are the same measures that we applied in this instance. As we speak, the Internal Affairs Unit is on the ground. The IPOA is also on the ground to provide an independent investigation. There are no double standards and I think I can comprehensively say that I am the CS who has been to most parts of the country, given that I have only served for slightly under six months. I have been in almost 70 per cent of Kenya. There cannot be any double standards. I do not know the last time I was near my home. If there The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}