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{
    "id": 1317640,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1317640/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 480,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "The Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "operation unless, as a country, we have spare forces who can help us remove bandits other than the police officers, Kenya Defence Forces and other national security organs, including the National Police Reservist. So, I am careful as a Cabinet Secretary to discourage my officers. We have tried our best. We will get there. The resolve, commitment and political goodwill right from the Commander-in-Chief are there. We will succeed. That is why I said I could not answer that Question fully because there is no answer. The answer is that we are doing our best. Our officers are doing their best. I have trust in them. We have lost a few, including a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) officer we lost in Samburu. He was felled by bandits who ambushed him in Longwan two weeks ago. When officers watch us making some of those statements in the civilian space, it is very demoralising unless we have an alternative constitutional and lawful force that will do the job that our officers cannot do. We have not succeeded. We are on the way. We will succeed. The second question is on the number of National Police Reservists (NPRs) whom bandits have killed. I do not know whether it is in connection with a particular constituency or generally in the operation area. That is why I said questions like this should come in advance and in written form so that we understand the specific dates and areas and can give the numbers. However, we have, indeed, lost some NPRs, including one who was killed by bandits in Baringo about a month ago. Another one was injured. We lost another one in Laikipia some time ago. We also lost a senior chief. If given the parameters, I can answer the question in the subsequent appearance. The Government of Kenya has nothing to hide. If we lose an officer in the line of duty, we will say so. It does not mean anything if a criminal, terrorist or bandit succeeds in hurting our officer. It will be too hard to hide because that is the nature of occupational hazards within the space where our officers, including NPRs operate. The third question is by the Member for Baringo South. He asked why, in his estimation, there was an attempted cover-up of an incident in Kapindasum on 24th October 2023. Hon. Deputy Speaker, on the date in question and the school mentioned, it was claimed that 55 bandits, according to a report – and I do not know how bandits were counted in an active engagement - attacked a school called Kapindasum. I know it because I have been there more than three times. Before this incident happened, I was planning to return because I made some promises I intend to honour to the fullest. I am fairly familiar with the area. It was alleged on that day that approximately 55 bandits, according to some reports, attacked the school and a General Service Unit (GSU) camp. There was an exchange of fire for seven hours. There was a recording of some children sleeping in a classroom complaining and asking where the Cabinet Secretary in charge of security was to come and rescue them. There was a media interview with headteachers and other people about that attack. I would not like to say much about this event because it is under investigation. That brings me to the next question, which is: According to the Member for Baringo South, why innocent people, including teachers, journalists and other stakeholders, are being harassed to cover up the event. We are investigating what took place at Kapindasum. We do not want to harass, cover up or inconvenience anybody. We want to find out what exactly happened. Until now, the seven hours of engagement between the security forces and bandits did not result in a single casualty. Nobody was killed or injured. We have scanned that area with drones and have not found any disturbance of the soil or any spent cartridges, except that we are informed there was a shoot-out for seven hours in that school. Therefore, the investigations we are doing will help us establish the truth of what happened so that we can take action. We are not arresting journalists or asking teachers to record statements. We are just asking people who have information to help us understand what happened, and we have nothing to hide. 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."
}