Wajir: The security situation in Wajir County remains stable and under firm control, North Eastern Regional Commissioner John Otieno has announced. He attributes this stability to the effective coordination of security agencies across the county’s 14 sub-counties.
According to Kenya News Agency, Otieno briefed the media following a high-level regional security committee meeting in Wajir town. The meeting gathered county and sub-county security teams to assess the current security status and address emerging concerns.
Otieno emphasized the purpose of the gathering: ‘We are here as a regional security committee to engage with the county and sub-county security teams to review the security situation in Wajir and deliberate on key issues. I’m pleased to report that Wajir is stable and well-managed.’
While no major security threats have been reported, the committee identified emerging issues such as gender-based violence and land-related disputes that need urgent intervention. Otieno criticized the persistence of retrogressive cultural practices like maslaha in handling gender-based violence cases, which he warned are illegal. He directed officers to take firm legal actions against perpetrators.
‘We have instructed our officers to deal decisively with gender-based violence in accordance with the law. The traditional ways of resolving such cases are illegal and are only serving to embolden offenders,’ Otieno stated.
Regarding land disputes, Otieno mentioned that existing conflicts have been contained but stressed the importance of developing resolution mechanisms to prevent escalation. He called for increased collaboration among all stakeholders, including elected leaders, to promote peace, security, and development in the region.