KDF ‘only helping’ police quell clashes
What you need to know:
- Defence Cabinet Secretary Raychelle Omamo (below) in a Gazette notice dated May 22, said: “A notice is given that on 21st May 2014, the Kenya Defence Forces are deployed in support of the National Police Service in response to the security emergency in Mandera County.”
The Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) Monday said the announced sending of soldiers to quell clashes in Wajir and Mandera was not connected to the military’s Nairobi Metropolitan Command formed in December.
KDF spokesman Willy Wesonga told the Nation that deployed soldiers were not drawn from NMC and would solely be providing back-up to the police as the operation was an internal security matter.
“We have always had our troops in those areas. But this is a special role they are being called upon to do, which is to assist the police.
“The soldiers will only be tasked with assisting the police in handling the security situation and will be guided by the needs of the police,” Col Wesonga said in an interview with the Nation.
He added: “The notice talks about KDF assisting the internal operations for the police to carry out patrols. It is not connected to the (Nairobi) Metropolitan Command.”
Defence Cabinet Secretary Raychelle Omamo in a Gazette notice dated May 22, said: “A notice is given that on 21st May 2014, the Kenya Defence Forces are deployed in support of the National Police Service in response to the security emergency in Mandera County.”
She said that KDF would help quell the violence, which has left scores dead and villages burnt.
Leaders in the area have, however, maintained that the soldiers are yet to be posted to the area.
“There is no security here as we speak. We just saw those claims on TV and we are wondering whether they are talking about a different region,” Mr Abdullahi Diriye the Wajir South MP told the Nation after touring the areas.
