The government has announced renewed crackdown on criminal gangs and cross-border cattle rustling in Lake Victoria Basin county of Kisumu, with focus on perpetrators fuelling insecurity in the region.

Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo said security operations were being intensified along the Kisumu-Nandi and Kisumu-Kericho borders, where cattle theft has triggered ethnic tensions, loss of livelihoods and recurring violence.

Speaking during a funeral at Kanyamlori village in Nyakach Sub-County, Dr Omollo warned idle youths against joining criminal gangs and insisting that unemployment should not be used as a licence for crime.

“We are making positive steps towards addressing cattle rustling between Kisumu and neighbouring counties. But there is also insecurity caused by ourselves, whether it is thuggery or criminal gangs,” he said.

“Not having a job does not give you the licence to take away the next person’s life or property or make it difficult for people to go about their lives,” he added.

The principal secretary said the government was holding elaborate consultations with local leaders and security agencies to dismantle emerging criminal gangs and restore security in the affected areas.

He urged communities to work closely with law enforcement officers to isolate criminals undermining development. The government, he added, has come up with a robust employment programme to ensure that the youths are engaged in meaningful income generating activities to tame the wave of insecurity.

Omollo further underscored the government’s commitment to tackling the causes of insecurity through investment in education, housing, sports and healthcare.

He revealed that 76,000 teachers had been hired in the past two years, with another 24,000 set to be recruited in the coming months, a move he described as unprecedented in Kenya’s history.

“Education is the single biggest equaliser you can ever have. I want to encourage parents and leaders to take it seriously,” he said.

On health, the principal secretary urged residents to register with the Social Health Authority (SHA), in order to access free primary care and state-funded emergency services.

“This is the only government that has budgeted and put money to support primary healthcare, as well as critical and emergency care. If you are involved in an accident, you will be attended to within 24 hours before any question is asked,” Omollo said.

He stressed that President William Ruto’s administration was keen on ensuring that Kenyans, regardless of their background, benefit from the ongoing reforms.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Chris Mahandara