The government has ordered an intensive and extensive security operation in Meru County to wipe out bandits terrorising residents, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has revealed.
The DP said recent banditry attacks will be met with brutal and lethal force on land and air to bring to a conclusive end the criminal acts by the bandits in Nyambene and the whole of Meru North region.
The Second in Command revealed that specialised teams from the police service will be supported by the Kenya Defence Forces and will conduct a comprehensive security operation against the bandits.
“These attacks against our people will end for good. When I was in charge of internal security they did it in Baringo, we crushed them, they did in Kerio Valley, we crushed them, in North Eastern, we crushed them, we also crushed terrorists in Lamu. We will crush them in Nyambene. Take my word on this,” DP warned.
Speaking on Saturday when he inspected several development projects in South Imenti Constituency, Meru County, the Deputy President said the bandits have dared the government to a contest over who is powerful and now they will learn it the painful way.
Earlier, he held a closed door meeting with security and intelligence teams in Meru County where he expressed the expectations of the government in the ensuing operations.
“We will deploy intense force against these criminals. They have dared us, now we will wipe them out. This cannot continue any longer,” DP promised.
The DP said the President has ordered for immediate deployment of adequate security officers and needed equipment for the operation to restore peace and pursue the criminals in every hideout they will attempt to run to.
“We cannot allow this to continue. The lives of our people are too precious to be taken away by bandits, their livestock and properties they have acquired through sweat and sacrifice cannot just be taken away like that. The bandits will know there is a government in place,” he added.
The DP beseeched Meru leaders and residents to be calm as the operation commences saying it will be extensive and conclusive to end the menace.
“What will be done there will end this menace and it will not happen again for decades to come,” DP noted.
Further, Kindiki said Meru County continues to benefit from huge development projects ranging in billions of shillings allocated by the Ruto administration urging residents not to be deceived by the opposition leaders to abandon it in the coming elections.
Road projects costing over 39 billion shillings are going on in the county plus another 3.7 billion shillings for revamping of link roads in Meru town. The tarmacking of roads in Nkubu and Mitunguu towns among other key towns is on course.
Gakoromone Modern Market in Meru town has been allocated 1 billion shillings and will be among the biggest in the country. Additionally, 17 other modern markets are at various stages of construction in all the constituencies in the county. The DP inspected the ongoing Mwichiune Market and addressed residents at Mwichiune Trading Centre in South Imenti.
Meru County has also received 2.3 billion shillings to connect an additional 26, 000 households to electricity.
The DP assured residents that Nithi Bridge—a critical section connecting Tharaka Nithi and Meru counties—will be constructed as promised, asking residents to avoid unnecessary protests on the same saying 7 billion shillings has already been allocated and the contractor will be on site soon.
The expansion of the Makutano-Mwea-Chuka-Nkubu-Meru-Maua highway to a dual carriageway will also be executed as planned.
The DP was accompanied by Meru Senator Kathuri Murungi, Woman Representative Elizabeth Kailemia, Deputy Governor Linda Kiome, South Imenti MP Shadrack Mwiti, Igembe Central MP Dan Kiili, Nominated MP Dorothy Muthoni, Central Imenti MP Moses Kirima, Igembe South MP John Paul Mwirigi, host of MCAs among others.