Kibaki orders tight security at border points

President Kibaki has ordered the military to intensify security patrols along Kenyan borders in the wake of an attack from a neighbouring country.

The President said the government was concerned over the loss of lives during a conflict on the Kenya-Ethiopia border involving the Turkana community and the Merille militia of Ethiopia that left at least 20 dead.

"My Government responded promptly to this security challenge by deploying additional security personnel in the affected border area.  Following this deployment, peace and security has since been restored," said President Kibaki during the passing out parade of army recruits at the Recruits Training School in Eldoret Friday.

He said patrols will be intensified to avoid further attacks.

"We are aware that since the 1990s, revenge attacks between the two communities along our common border with Ethiopia have been cyclical.  We have, therefore, intensified patrols with a view to forestalling a recurrence of violence," he said.

On Somalia, President Kibaki said the porous border continues to pose a big challenge on Kenya's national security.

He said the situation has been worsened by the proliferation of small arms and the recruitment of Kenyan youth into radical groups such as the al Shabaab,

"In view of these threats, we have stepped up security measures to forestall any acts of aggression and to ensure the security of Kenyans. 

"We have deployed adequate officers to secure our border with Somalia and to ensure fighting does not spill over into our country," said President Kibaki.

The President also directed the military to mop up training sites of any explosive material saying he regretted the death of five school children from a bomb explosion in Kajiado.

Though the training exercises would continue, President Kibaki told the military to remain vigilant.

"I have, therefore, instructed that steps be taken to ensure unexploded bombs are removed from the training fields after firing exercises," he said.

On Thursday, Defence assistant minister David Musila said the Armed Forces were ready to defend the country from foreign aggression.

However, he said, the orders could only be issued by the President, who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

"The international norms on military deployment are very categorical. You cannot cross an international border without the orders of the Commander-In-Chief," he said.

"As and when those orders are given by the Commander-In-Chief, our forces will move in. They are ready at any time to defend the integrity of our borders."