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Kenya

Lamu leaders hold peace meeting following attacks

By GALGALO BOCHA

In Summary

  • The leaders resolved to work together to preach peace among locals and restore calm in the county.
  • County Commissioner Njenga Miiri and Lamu Governor Issa Timamy addressed a press conference after the meeting.
  • Lamu Senator Mohammed Abu Chiaba, women representative Shakila Abdallah and Lamu East MP - Athman Shariff also attended the meeting.

Leaders from Lamu County have held a consultative peace and security meeting following recent attacks that have rocked the county.

The leaders resolved to work together to preach peace among locals and restore calm in the county.

The meeting at the Kenya Ports Authority board room discussed, among other issues, how leaders elected at the county and national levels will work together to foster security, cohesion and coexistence among locals.

County Commissioner Njenga Miiri and Lamu Governor Issa Timamy addressed a press conference after the meeting.

The two leaders announced that they will move together around the county to reassure residents that both the national and county governments were doing everything possible to ensure the current situation is addressed.

“Leaders have decided to work together irrespective of their political affiliations for the sake of our people,” Mr Miiri told the press conference.

ADEQUATE SECURITY

He said the government had deployed adequate security personnel to boost security and pursue some gunmen linked to recent killings of nearly 80 people in the county.

“We have taken steps to increase security and we call upon residents to stop speculating and spreading rumours,” he added.

Lamu Senator Mohammed Abu Chiaba, women representative Shakila Abdallah and Lamu East MP Athman Shariff also attended the meeting.

The administrator said a contingent of General Service Unit, Rapid Deployment and Rural Board Patrol Units of the Administration Police had been deployed across the county to enhance security.

Also involved in the operation is Kenya Defence Force (KDF) which has deployed specialised personnel to pursue the attackers deep inside Pandanguo, Gorji and Belasange forests.

He confirmed that the military was combing the forests where the gunmen are believed to be hiding.

AERIAL SURVEILLANCE

On Sunday Locals told Nation.co.ke that they had spotted Kenya Air Force jets overflying Gorji and Belasange forests and heard a huge explosion.

“We are doing everything to ensure they are flushed out of their hideouts. The operation will be carried out until normalcy returns to this county and after that you will not hear them doing what they have done to our people,” he added.

Mr Timamy said they were expecting the Parliamentary Committee on National Cohesion and Integration in the county soon to talk to locals.

“This meeting is the first of its kind since we had the attacks started in our county. We are happy with the security measures put in place in the county,” he added.

Mr Miiri and Mr Timamy warned residents against spreading unnecessary rumours and hearsay that would cause unnecessary tension.

They said people with ill motives had taken advantage of the situation to engage in criminal activities.

Mr Miiri said police are investigating a lorry driver and his turn boy who claimed to have been carjacked by four gunmen.

He said initial investigations indicated that the two had sold some 180 bags of sugar, 50 bags of rice and several cartoons of milk they had been given by their employer to distribute to wholesale and retail shops in Witu, Mpeketoni and Lamu town.

“They claimed to have been attacked by gunmen but preliminary investigations indicated that they sold the items and stage-managed the attack to hoodwink their employer,” added Mr Miiri.