The newly appointed Cabinet Secretary for Interior Joseph Nkaissery says the country's security is a matter that cuts across all religions.
Speaking at PEFA Nationals Church in Kajiado where more than 50 bishops and pastors from the vast county gathered to pray for him, Nkaissery appealed to all Kenyans to keep vigil in the bid to beef up security.
Nkaissery said both Christians and Muslims have an obligation to ensure security prevails.
He said churches and mosques were appropriate avenues to monitor the movement of youth and challenged the clergy to take up the responsibility.
biggest role
''Owing to the fact that Christians and Muslims attend religious gatherings as family, clerics should be able to monitor youth radicalisation by taming their morals and knowing their whereabouts'' said the CS.
Mr Nkaissery was referring to reports that Muslim youths were attending training sessions conducted by the Alshabab militia group in Somalia.
''Those in charge of mosques and churches should be monitoring the movement of their youth while parents and guardians also play their role'' said Nkaissery.
The church leaders present supported Nkaissery's sentiments saying the church plays the biggest role in security matters
The former Kajiado Central MP, who recently took the powerful Interior Security docket after the sacking of Mr Joseph Ole Lenku, thanked Kenyans for expressing confidence in his ability to steer the docket and secure the country.
He however appealed to the public to volunteer information to security agents in order to win the war on terror.
''I am appealing to all Kenyans to remain alert and be their brothers' keepers. Volunteer information on suspicious individuals and their activities to security agencies for action. We shall win this war," he said.
He thanked security agents for what he described as working hard to maintain security during Christmas festivals saying while Kenyans took a break from everyday hustles to make merry, all police officers, including those who had taken leave, were on duty to ensure maximum security.
excess passengers
Meanwhile, more than 60 public service vehicles were nabbed over the weekend for flouting traffic rules in Machakos county.
The vehicles included buses, minibuses, vans and boda boda motorbikes plying different routes in the county.
Machakos Base Commander Rashid Ali said the vehicles' operators had committed different traffic offenses that included carrying excess passengers and speeding.
He said the drivers of the vehicles and their conductors would be taken to court to face charges.
Mr Ali said the crackdown would continue indefinitely to bring sanity to the local roads and save lives.
He warned defiant transport operators in the area to operate according to the law or brace for hard time as no mercy will be extended to offenders.
''Its is either you comply or quit,'' he said.
