Metito says rising insecurity politically instigated

By PETER OPIYO

Internal Security Minister Katoo ole Metito has said there may be a political hand in the current incidents of insecurity in parts of the country.

He said some politicians might be fuelling the violence for political gain by causing displacement, instilling fear to have control on the newly created electoral units in the counties.

“We haven’t ruled out political incitement to these incidents of insecurity. Some of these animosities can’t be delinked from political incitements,” said the minister.

“They (politicians) take advantage of animosities to gain political mileage,” he added.

Two politicians were released on Sh50,000 cash bail and Sh100,000 bond each by the court over allegations of making inciting remarks following the killing of over 40 police officers in Suguta valley.

They are Wildlife Assistant minister Josphat Nanok (Turkana South) and Turkana Central MP Ekwee Ethuro.

Labour Minister John Munyes (Turkana North) is also being sought by the police to record a statement over remarks they jointly made within Parliament following the killings.

Katoo said Internal Security Assistant Minister Simeon Lesrima (Samburu West) and Nominated MP Maison Leshomo had also recorded statements with the police regarding the killings.

Appearing before the Parliamentary Committee on Administration and National Security, the minister asked voters in violence hotspots to take advantage of the heavy security presence to register as voters.

  POSSIBLE DISRUPTION

Committee members Danson Mungatana (Garsen) and Raphael Letimalo (Samburu East) had raised fears about possible disruption of the ongoing voter registration owing to insecurity in various parts of the country.

“These areas have been identified as hotspots and people should take advantage of the heavy security presence in these areas to register as voters,” the minister told the committee.

These areas include the Coast region owing to the presence of the outlawed secessionist Mombasa Republican Council, Baragoi in Samburu where 42 police officers were killed by bandits and parts of Samburu and Turkana Counties and Northern parts of the country.

Lack of adequate financial resources, the minister said, was hampering police operations.

He said the department was 48 per cent underfunded and that only Sh6.5 billion was allocated to the Internal Security Ministry.

He said the Government intends to rehabilitate the Kenyan youth recruited by the militant Al Shabaab and ban comparative teachings of the Koran and the Bible on the streets.

Later, the minister sought to address the compensation of police officers killed in the line of duty.