On May 3, 2022, the government of Kenya announced a dusk to dawn curfew in Marsabit County to combat rising armed crime. While many residents welcomed the move, others expressed skepticism about its effectiveness.
Some residents felt that the deployment of the military to deal with militia armed with guns and other illegal weapons could have been more effective. They argued that the security operation would not address the root causes of the insecurity.
However, others like Nura Dida, a proprietor in the public transport sector, supported the government's move. He said that if the cooperation of members of the public was sought, the insecurity situation would be adequately addressed.
Mr. Dida also appealed to the Interior CS, Fred Matiang'i, to look into the welfare of PSV operators and travelers, ensuring that those arriving late at their destinations are guided to their homes without harassment.
"We fully support this curfew declaration and the operation to mop up illegal firearms in wrong hands," Mr. Dida said, adding that the life of locals had been disrupted for a very long time.
On the other hand, some residents like Mache Musa Ado, a trader in Marsabit town, expressed concern that business would be adversely affected by the curfew. He pointed out that many fatal attacks by armed criminals had occurred during the day, making the night curfew seem unnecessary.
Despite the concerns, others like Ms. Susan Adan welcomed the curfew and security operation. She said that the economy of the town and the county in general had been brought to its knees by insecurity.
Ms. Adan called on the government not to relent on the effort to normalize the situation in the county, adding that women and children had been the hardest hit.
"Schools have been closed down while our economic activities have collapsed due to insecurity and that is why everybody should support the government action to pacify this county," she said.
Marsabit County Commissioner, Paul Rotich, said the security operation was aimed at flushing out armed criminals who could transform into terror groups if allowed to continue.
Mr. Rotich warned that the government was determined to restore sanity in the region and asked those in possession of illicit weapons to surrender them to the authorities without delay.
