CS Murkomen takes Jukwaa la Usalama forums to Upper Eastern

After a seven-day break, the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration Kipchumba Murkomen, is back on the road, this time setting up camp in the Upper Eastern counties of Meru, Tharaka Nithi, and Embu.

The first stop is Meru County, where the Cabinet Secretary has a packed agenda. He will begin with a security meeting with the Meru County Security Committee, followed by a spot check on the mobile ID registration exercise and the NACADA outreach campaign. Much of the day will be devoted to participating in plenary discussions at the Jukwaa la Usalama town hall meeting at Kinoru Stadium.

The Jukwaa la Usalama town halls gather the hierarchy of National Government Administration Officers (NGAO), from the Regional Commissioner to the Assistant Chief, as well as security personnel, local leaders, community opinion leaders, members of the business community, and the youth.

“These forums are aimed at discussing county-specific security and development concerns and exploring possible solutions. The forums also afford the CS an opportunity to listen to the challenges that administration officers and security personnel undergo in their day to day work,” a statement from his office read

In Meru County, it said Murkomen will seek fresh insights into the issue of cattle rustling along the Meru-Isiolo border, which affects seven counties: Igembe North, Mutuati, Igembe Central, Tigania East, Tigania West, Buuri East, and Buuri West. While security interventions have shown some success, strategies must be intensified to eradicate the problem.

Other significant security challenges in the county include longstanding boundary and land disputes along the Meru-Tharaka Nithi boundary.

The Meru County Jukwaa la Usalama is the 10th forum that Murkomen has conducted, having previously traversed the Coast and Lower Eastern regions. This  approach to security and service delivery management has already led to significant policy shifts following initial interactions with the public and those tasked with serving them.

Notable announcements from the CS include: no security personnel will serve in operational areas for more than three months, Chiefs and Assistant Chiefs whose personal security is under threat will be licensed to own firearms, each Sub-County will have two Principal Chiefs, security personnel approaching retirement will be transferred to a station of their choice, and that land disputes will be referred to the National Security Council for policy direction, among others.