Marsabit curfew is extended for another 30 days by the government.

The extension, said to Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi, will allow the ongoing operation to fulfill its objectives.

“During the term of the curfew, there shall be no public gatherings, procession, or movement, either alone or in a group, except as has been allowed in writing by the Inspector General of the National Police Service,” he stated.

The notification did not mention the Kom Durte area of Isiolo County, which was mentioned in the previous one.

The operation will be overseen by a General Service Unit commander who oversaw a security operation in the dangerous Laikipia district in 2021.

Matiangi had indicated after the original 30-day ban that the movement restrictions would allow security teams to contain the region’s continued criminal activity.

He claimed that unnamed groups, including those tied to terrorism, were responsible for the operations.

Matiangi has ordered a crackdown on illegal mining, which appears to be contributing to the spike in insecurity.

“We’ve discovered a link between the spread of illegal firearms in Marsabit and some operations in nearby Isiolo County,” says the statement. Illegal mining activities are taking place, and they appear to be paying terrorists,” Matiangi stated.

Matiangi also declared Kom Sub-location in Isiolo County a disturbed area for the next 30 days, saying the government has been deploying security forces in the area to deal with suspected bandits.

He said that the administration had called for negotiations with regional leaders and given them a week to restore calm to the region. However, the county’s leaders failed to do so, resulting in a rise in attacks.