This archive report was first published on 1 October 2019.
Kitui County has been plagued by a wave of violence in recent weeks, with suspected bandits wreaking havoc in search of pasture and water for their livestock.
However, this is not a resource conflict, but a major security threat that demands immediate attention.
At least five people have been killed, and several families have been forced to flee their homes, seeking shelter in churches and other public institutions.
It is imperative that the government takes decisive action to tackle the bandit menace, which has been ongoing for quite some time, particularly during periods of drought and food scarcity.
Kitui and neighboring counties, such as Tana River, are characterized by long spells of drought, poor infrastructure, and general insecurity, making them vulnerable to external aggressors.
The proximity of these counties to Somalia, a lawless state that has bred terrorists, further exacerbates the situation.
It is essential that the government deploys security teams to crush the aggressors and seals the borders to prevent external aggressors from entering our territory or local ones escaping to those jurisdictions.
Furthermore, politicians must refrain from stoking the embers of violence and instead sue for peace and seek long-term resolution to such conflicts.
On Monday, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i visited the county and read the riot act to the provincial administration and security teams, urging them to rein in the perpetrators and restore normalcy.
