Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration Kipchumba Murkomen on Thursday convened a high-level consultative meeting with elected leaders from Turkana and West Pokot counties to chart a path toward lasting peace, strengthened security, and accelerated development in the region.
The meeting brought together senators, members of parliament, and senior government officials to deliberate on measures aimed at curbing insecurity, promoting social cohesion, and ensuring sustainable socio-economic growth in the two counties.
While acknowledging that the region has enjoyed relative calm in recent months, Murkomen expressed concern over emerging insecurity incidents, noting that they demand urgent and coordinated action.
“While the region has largely been calm and peaceful, recent insecurity incidents in some areas need our concerted efforts,” Murkomen said.
“We resolved to fast-track the ongoing streamlining of mining activities, which have been identified as fuelling insecurity in the region and other parts of the country.”
The Interior CS emphasised the government’s commitment to dismantling criminal networks and ensuring accountability among all individuals involved, including law enforcement officers.
“Our intelligence-led operation will dismantle all the criminal networks involved and bring to book any of our officers colluding with them,” he stated.
Murkomen also issued a stern warning to leaders making inflammatory statements, urging them to refrain from politicising security operations.
“I have put on notice leaders making inflammatory remarks to desist from politicising their predicament when the law catches up with them,” he cautioned.
To ensure lasting peace, the leaders agreed to enhance inter-community peace dialogues once the ongoing operations are concluded.
Murkomen noted that dialogue and reconciliation among communities remain central to achieving durable security.
“The leaders also agreed to enhance inter-community peace dialogues once our operation is over, even as we prioritise the operationalisation of gazetted administrative units in the insecurity-prone areas,” he added.
Among those who attended the meeting were Senators James Lomenen (Turkana) and Julius Murgor (West Pokot), Members of Parliament Rael Kasiwai (West Pokot County MP), Daniel Nanok (Turkana West), Protus Akujah (Loima), Ekwom Nabuin (Turkana North), Peter Lochokapong (Sigor), and Titus Lotee (Kacheliba).
Murkomen was accompanied by GSU Commandant Ranson Lolmodooni, Principal Administrative Secretaries Jacob Narengo (Internal Security) and Beverly Opwora (National Administration), as well as the Secretary for National Administration Moses Lilan.