Recovered illegal guns in Marsabit County. Photo: DCI.
Operation Ondoa Jangili in Marsabit and Isiolo counties has yielded resulted after arrest of over 300 suspects while over 200 illegal firearms were seized, under the ministry of Interior.
According to Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kipchumba Murkomen who spoke during his ongoing security tour “Jukwa la Usalama” in Marsabit County.
Murkomen said the operation aims to stop the activities of the OLF militia group from neighboring country Ethiopia, drug trafficking and human trafficking in the porous boundary of the two countries.
“This is a very serious group invading our country, and using this route into the country to commit various crimes including drug and huma trafficking. There is an ongoing operation in the county together with Isiolo, which is operation ‘Ondoa Jangili’. That operation is dealing with issues particularly to do with human trafficking and drugs. The number of these cases has led to the arrest of many suspects, some already convicted. More that 200 firearms have been confiscated and 300 suspects arrested, which has brought order and stop proliferation of small arms into the region,” Murkomen confirmed.
Murkomen also said that the Hillo mines located in the Dabel location in Moyale Constituency, will be reopened after all security strategies are strengthened, he added that through Operation Ondoa Jangili, they have succeeded in removing miners who were conducting illegal mining activities in the mines.
“We are very happy to note that operation Ondoa Jangili has restored calmness in the area and the plan now is to restore permanent security in the area and supporting our artisan miners who have ben properly registered by the county government and soon ministry of mining. We will have meeting to secure our miners to continue with their activities in Moyale, after the operation established foreigner miners were taking over our mines and selling through markets not recognizable,” he said.
The minister has also confirmed that among the suspects arrested are police officers and even county government officials for facilitating illegal mining.
“Because of this operation, a lot of this activities have come down and criminal elements that have been operating in this area have been apprehended and charged. Nobody was speared during the operation, police officers, NGAO and county officers, all of them were arrested and charged. everybody is accountable to the rule of law, and there will be no room to allow any person to get away,” Murkomen disclosed.
This is despite reports that activities are still ongoing in the mines at night, and are being facilitated by police officers and government officials. Murkomen also commended the peace witnessed in Marsabit constituency after a long period of social unrest, urging citizens to maintain peace.
He has also called on politicians in the constituency to preach peace, especially in the run-up to the next general elections in 2027.
“We have asked our security teams particularly the NGAO group to continue holding Barazas meeting and political leaders to emphasize the issue of peace regardless of their political affiliations, so that going forward to we do not see the repeat of the previous elections especially in this area,” he concluded.
