Speaking to the Nation in Marsabit town on Thursday, Saku MP candidate Barille Abduba (Wiper party) enumerated the benefits of the curfew that was imposed in May.
“The statements made by DP Ruto on Wednesday about the security situation in Marsabit were not in tandem with the general affairs on the ground,” he said.
“Indeed, the curfew was timely and the security presence here is even still below par as we would have wanted more officers to be deployed.”
He said Dr Ruto’s statement was unfortunate, misguided, out of touch with what happened on the ground and in bad taste, adding that Marsabit residents were tired of incessant killings of their loved ones and destruction of property.
Were it not for the curfew and the security operation, Mr Abduba said, no one would have dared to set foot for political campaigns in Saku constituency, which he added had turned into a valley of death.
He lauded the security measures put in place by the national government to contain inter-ethnic conflicts in the county.
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No mass deaths have been reported since the Interior ministry imposed the night curfew and launched a security operation in the county, indicating the actions have helped curb attacks.
Calm has returned and businesses are picking up as residents who fled the county have come back home.
Militia groups
But Mr Abduba was concerned that security agencies had not completely flushed out all the militia groups that were on the payroll of some politicians.
He called on the government to ensure that militants still under the patronage of politicians were flushed out of Marsabit and illegal firearms seized from civilians.
Marsabit Central MCA contender Isacko Kunni said locals were happy with the curfew but wanted the scale of operation intensified.
He said there were still many illegal weapons in the hands of civilians and demanded that security agents seize them.
He urged the agents to search residential houses in Marsabit town to ensure that all militia groups were flushed out.
Mr Kunni said security agencies should not allow the operation to turn into public relations stunts.
For his part, Daudi Fille Dache, a resident, said locals had seen the benefits of the curfew.
He said Dr Ruto’s statement clashed with the general feeling of ordinary citizens, who were relieved that there was no more bloodshed.
He said they fully supported the government’s decision to impose the curfew, which he said was reached after consultations with residents.
“If it were not for the curfew and security operation, we would not be enjoying the calm we have now. And we are extremely disappointed with DP Ruto’s statement and we are calling on him to reconsider his statements,” Mr Dache said.
On Wednesday, DP Ruto poked holes in the security operation and night curfew, pledging to lift the movement restrictions if he was elected on August 9.
