Meru county allocates 600 acres for police training camp

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja have welcomed the allocation of hundreds of acres by Meru county government for police training facilities.

Governor Isaac Mutuma said his administration had allocated 600 acres for the installation of security personnel training facilities in the cattle rustling-prone Nyambene region.

Governor Isaac Mutuma said he was keen to restore peace in the northern grazing zones, a vast and semi arid areas that has suffered the brunt of cattle rustling and banditry for years.

Speaking when Murkomen and Kanja attended the commissioning of the new Administration Police Service Field Training Camp at Lii in Igembe North, Mr Mutuma said having police training facilities in the Nyambene, will provide a buffer zone against armed raiders.

"As a county government we have allocated 300 acres to the Administration Police, and we are also going to allocate another 300 acres at Igombe to the National Police Training College," he said.

Mutuma was optimistic that the establishment of police training grounds would act as a deterrent against the bandits and criminals who have been blamed for driving locals out of their farms and homes, in addition to stealing livestock and killing.

"We are ready to facilitate any other formed-up units, even the Kenya Defence Forces, because we want the presence of security agencies in this region. We expect that to have significant effect in restoration of peace and security in this region," he said.

"With the presence of security personnel here, we will have electricity, roads and other infrastructural development which will raise the value of land and promote the local economy," he added.

The CS said the donation of the land for the facility hosting 2,000 police recruits was a show of commitment by the two levels of government to combat insecurity.

"This is a statement of shared responsibility in securing our nation," Murkomen said.

He said the county government had installed a water facility and upgraded access roads in the region.

"This camp is not temporary. It is a strategic, long-term investment in Kenya's security infrastructure, one that will serve as a continuous capacity building centre long after this cohort of graduates has left this place," the CS said.

He said facilities such as the training camps were supplementing the operational measures.

Murkomen revealed that the ongoing security operation against rustlers and bandits in the region was bearing fruit.

"As a result of the operation that has been going on from here (Meru) all the way to Mukogodo forest (Laikipia), we have so far recovered 55 guns and 382 rounds of ammunition," he said.

He added: "In total we have 770 heads of cattle, 1,336 goats, 20 camels and two donkeys that have been recovered."

The CS announced that his Ministry was engaging with the ministries of Roads and Defense to deliver security roads in the five constituencies in Meru affected by cattle rustling and other parts.

Mr Kanja while thanking the devolved unit for donating land for training the security personnel said it will serve to train them to international standards and impact local communities.

"By ensuring that this area remain safe and secure and free from the menace of cattle rustling."

However, Governor Mutuma appealed to the central government to compensate victims of cattle rustling.

"The government has done well in reducing the insecurity in the gazetted security areas. But still, we are not yet there. Out of 15, 000 heads of cattle we lost in the last few years (only) 180 have been recovered. We want the recovery of 15, 000, but if that is not possible, we are appealing to the government to compensate the owners whose livelihoods have been compromised."

The governor said the attacks had claimed lives of many, who had left behind widows and orphans, who should also be compensated.

Igembe North MP Julius Taitumu lauded the national government for the new police training facilities, saying they expect transformation of the area and improved living standards.

"We expect major development projects here which will greatly transform the economy of this region," Mr Taitumu said.