Census to run throughout Sunday night

The government has announced that the census exercise shall run throughout Sunday night all over the country to give more Kenyans an opportunity to be counted.

While issuing an update on the exercise on Sunday evening, Government Spokesperson Cyrus Oguna said the decision to run the exercise throughout the night was arrived at after realising that many Kenyans were yet to be counted.

SECURITY

He said elaborate security arrangements have been put in place to ensure that the exercise is executed smoothly.

“In order to give many households an opportunity to be enumerated, I wish to state that the process will today (Sunday) be conducted throughout the night till 6am in the entire country,” said Mr Oguna.

Meanwhile, the death toll of the Sunday morning Marsabit attack has risen to 12, police spokesperson Charles Owino said.

Attacks that happened simultaneously in two separate areas left eight locals seriously injured and over 1500 livestock stolen by suspected Ethiopian Borana cattle rustlers.

An Ethiopian militia man was also killed during the early Sunday morning incident.

ATTACK

The injured are receiving treatment at Forole dispensary.

Mr Owino urged locals to remain calm as the government works towards containing the situation. He and assured them that the census exercise shall take place throughout Sunday night uninterrupted.

“Any revenge attack initiatives are discouraged and local politicians are urged to avoid making inflammatory statements,” said Mr Owino.

He added that the government had deployed a team comprising regular police including those from the national police service’s air wing, anti-stock theft unit, rapid deployment unit and border patrol unit into the area to pursue the criminals and prevent further attacks.