The Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration, Kipchumba Murkomen, has assured residents of Busia on the government’s commitment, to ensure security within the border County.
Speaking while in Busia town during a courtesy call at the Busia County Commissionr’s office, Wednesday, Murkomen said security agencies are on high alert, to ensure that illegal goods do not gain entry into the country.
“The challenges we are facing is smuggling of contraband goods, particularly those consumed as illicit brews and ethanol, which finds its way to the local community, through the porous borders. Lot of operations have been done in this County and recently about 8,000 liters of ethanol, was confiscated and those involved have gone through a court process,’ he said.
He added that Busia County is still under the security watch to ensure that there is no emergence of criminal groups as the country approaches election.
“We have had young youth engaging in insecurity issues including robbery with violence but our security has dealt with them and they are no more. There are these goons and gangs who are mostly mobilized by politicians to provide security during meetings and through that they solidify and start terrorizing people. We are dealing with them and we are urging politicians that when they do their activities, they should ensure that such groups do not emerge,” he said.
The CS at the same time said that the government has cooperated well with its Ugandan counterpart, to solve the issue of fishing in Lake Victoria.
“The government through the concerned ministry has taken steps to address illegal fishing through sensitization of the fishermen on which type of nets to be used and is licensed. The coast guard has enabled us to handle illegal arrests of fishermen and we are going to increase our presence at the lake and even the boats as we increase our relationship with the Ugandan government,” he said
Murkomen further assured the residents of Alupe that both the Kenyan and Ugandan governments are closely working to resolve all matters arising on the gold mining activities, that are happening at the border.
“We will be informing the Ugandan government on the pollution of the river at Alupe area,” an issue he indicated will be solved due to the good relationship between the two governments.
He expressed confidence that the East African countries will be able to harmonize its legal framework, to ensure that what is illegal in Kenya is illegal to other countries as well.
“Sometimes it is difficult when we enforce the law on a certain offense, which is legal in the other country and this becomes a challenge because it is one community living across the border,” he noted.
The CS also called on all citizens to be vigilant on the issue of religion, so that the country does not experience what is being experienced at Kwabinzaro, due to the religious cult.
“Let’s work together and ensure that we help each other not to be victims of cult related activities. Let’s give out information to authorities about those cults and wrong religions that are misleading Kenyams,” he said.
Murkomen also launched a modern machine that is capable of producing National Identity cards at Huduma Centre where he clarified that no vetting for those applying for the cards should not be carried out across the country.
The CS later had a Jukua la Usalama meeting at Busia Agricultural Training Centre, where he had an engagement with the National Government Security team and members of the public
By Salome Alwanda & Rodgers Omondi
