Plans to restore and reopen West Pokot County schools shuttered as a result of bandit assaults have been announced by the government.

The government, according to Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki, has increased security in the impacted areas, particularly at the borders where West Pokot County joins with Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet, and Turkana Counties.

“The Government will rehabilitate schools that were abandoned due to insecurity posed by bandit attacks in West Pokot County,” Kindiki stated.

“This morning Wednesday), at Cheptulel Boys Secondary School, Sigor Constituency, West Pokot County, made a security assessment of the abandoned schools to facilitate commencement of rehabilitation works for reopening and resumption of learning in line with the Government of Kenya policy to ensure all children access education.”

The following schools will reopen: Lonyangalem Primary School, Kour Primary School, Songok Primary School, and Cheptulel Primary School in Pokot North Sub-County; Chesegon Primary School, Cheptulel Primary School, Cheptulel Boys Secondary School, Sapulmoi Primary School, and Kisaa ECD in Pokot Central Sub-County; and Karon Primary School in Pokot West Sub-County.

Additionally, Kindiki said that 205 National Police Reservists (NPR) will begin receiving training at the Chesta Teachers College Grounds in the Sigor Constituency by the government.

The reservists will be sent in to support Operation Maliza Uhalifu in addition to the National Police Service (NPS) and Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).

“To augment security at the border areas where West Pokot County intersects with Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet and Turkana Counties, the training of 205 National Police Reservists (NPR) shall commence tomorrow at Chesta Teachers College Grounds in Sigor Constituency, following which they will be deployed to supplement the role of National Police Service (NPS) and the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) as the Operation Maliza Uhalifu moves into its second year,” he added.

Kindiki has also urged people to refrain from politicizing and ethnicizing security-related issues.

“The public must avoid ethnic, political and sectarian characterisation of security matters and provide space for security agencies to discharge their responsibility without any interference whatsoever,” he said.