To fight banditry in the North Rift, the Kenyan security forces will collaborate with their Ugandan counterparts.

Monday, February 20, one week after President William Ruto ordered the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) to confront insecurity in the North Rift counties, Interior Principal Secretary (PS) Raymond Omollo confirmed this development.

“In our continued efforts to offer a lasting solution to the banditry menace and restore order in the North Rift Counties of Kenya, we will go out of the way to consult widely.

“In regard to that, a delegation from Kenya held a high-level security mission with the Uganda authorities in Moroto, Uganda,” the PS announced in a statement.

If Uganda’s security agencies would offer technical assistance to KDF troops already on the ground to put an end to banditry and restore calm, it was not made clear in the PS.

Omollo revealed, however, that the two countries also talked about friendly relations and joint ventures.

“We revisited the Cross-Boarder Programme for Sustainable Peace and Development Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that the two governments signed on September 12, 2019, at Moroto, Uganda,” he stated.

While praising the Agreement, the PS stated that it had some obvious gaps that need to be closed.

“The MOU has pacified the region and curbed insecurity, but it is still imperative to collectively address the socio-economic challenges along the borders of Turkana County (Kenya) and the Karamoja Region (Uganda),” he remarked.