Wajir commissioner defends county’s security gains

Wajir county has no current security threats linked to banditry or terrorism, county commissioner Karuku Ngumo has said.

During an inspection of the ongoing construction of Wajir Stadium on Monday, Ngumo said the county was ranked the safest in the country in the 2025 Economic Survey by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics.

He dismissed recent claims by some politicians alleging insecurity in the area.

“Anybody saying that we have a problem of banditry or militant groups in Wajir county is speaking out of ignorance,” Ngumo said.

“We used to have challenges in the past, but through collaboration between security agencies, the community, and elected leaders, we have eliminated that menace. We do not have outlawed militant group issues in Wajir county anymore,” he added.

The county commissioner urged leaders to refrain from politicising security matters, noting that such statements could misinform the public and undermine gains made in restoring stability.

On the issuance of national identity cards, Ngumo cautioned public officers against soliciting bribes, terming the practice a criminal offence.

“Any government officer who solicits a bribe to offer a service is a criminal,” he said.

“We are implementing the directive to make ID issuance efficient without compromising national security. Applicants must still produce the requisite documents, and those soliciting bribes will face dire consequences,” he stated.

On immigration enforcement, Ngumo clarified that authorities were not conducting mass expulsions but undertaking targeted operations against illegal immigrants.

“We have ongoing crackdowns on illegal aliens,” he said.

“Those found without legal status are arrested, taken to court, and repatriated. We are avoiding actions that could lead to lawlessness or people taking the law into their own hands.”

On the ongoing drought, the county commissioner said both the national and county governments had intensified relief interventions to cushion affected households.

He commended the county government for scaling up relief food distribution targeting about 40,000 families.

“The national government will increase food distribution to subcounties and introduce a hay programme to support weak livestock. No life will be lost because of drought; the government is keen and closely monitoring the situation,” Ngumo said.

He called on stakeholders to coordinate efforts to mitigate the effects of drought as construction of the county stadium continues.