Fred Matiang'i: Ruto's claims on Kerio Valley police reservists are false

Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i. [File, Standard]

Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Fred Matiang'i has denied that the government withdrew police reservists from Kerio Valley, Elgeyo Marakwet County in 2019 to "punish" Deputy President William Ruto.

Ruto made the allegations on Tuesday, July 26 during the presidential debate.

The DP said the government had launched an onslaught on him and the people who support his political bid.

To further cement his claims, Ruto alleged that the construction of Arror and Kimwarer dams in Elgeyo Marakwet County stalled in efforts to "punish" him and "my people".

The DP claimed tens of lives have since been lost after the local law enforcement officers were removed.

CS Matiang'i, however, denies the allegations, saying the government has never fully withdrawn police reservists from the North Rift region.

The Cabinet secretary said redeployment of the reservists is usually a decision made by the government of Kenya upon consideration of several factors.

"There are still some police reservists in some parts of North Rift. There has never been a time when all the reservists have been withdrawn from that area (Kerio Valley) or any other part of Kenya," Matiang'i said on Wednesday, July 27 during an address to journalists at the Serena Hotel in Nairobi.

"In the security sector, operations have to be reviewed often. And the decisions arrived at, through consultations, would depend on the emerging needs. The local community is usually consulted in the discussions," said Matiang'i.