by CHETI PRAXIDES
Correspondent,Coast Region.
Thursday August 4, 2022
Lamu county commissioner Irungu Macharia Image: CHETI PRAXIDES
The Lamu county security team has assured residents in
terror-prone areas of the Kenya-Somalia border of their safety during and after
the August 9 polls.
Speaking on Wednesday, county commissioner Irungu Macharia
said adequate security arrangements has been made to ensure residents are safe.
Macharia said additional security personnel has been
deployed across the region, especially in renowned political hotspots.
All villages of Boni Forest have been listed as terror-prone
areas agencies due to increased invasions and easy access by al Shabaab
militants over the years.
They include Milimani, Baure, Bodhei, Basuba, Mangai,
Mararani, Kiangwe, Madina, and Pandanguo as well as villages on the
Kenya-Somalia border, including Kiunga, Ishakani and Ras Kiamboni.
For years now, these villages have borne the brunt of
Shabaab militia attacks that seems to get worse around election time.
The commissioner revealed that the four electoral wards of
Mkomani, Hindi, and Baharini in Lamu West and Faza in Lamu East have been
narrowed as possible political hotspots.
He said police patrols in these areas have been intensified
and asked for the public to remain calm and peaceful.
“We are ready as a security department to offer our services
during this election period. We have all arrangements in place," Macharia
said.
"We want to assure the people there that security is
tight and they should come out and vote."
The commissioner warned politicians against inciting the
public and spreading hate speech.
“We expect nothing less than peace messages. As police, we
are following up keenly on everything and trust me, we won’t allow people to
mislead the public and cause chaos. It’s our job to ensure order and we shall
do just that,” he said.
Macharia said the police had identified a number of
politicians whose utterances and behaviours are a threat to the peace and
stability of the region.
“We are tracking them day and night to ensure they don’t get
the chance to incite people or cause any chaos,” he said.
(Edited by Tabnacha O)