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The president of the Law Society of Kenya has slammed the government for issuing a 24-hour ultimatum for families to leave banditry-infested areas, saying it violates both the letter and spirit of the constitution.
LSK boss Eric Theuri told KTN NEWS that Interior CS Kithure Kindiki's directive was illegal and did not come from a law-abiding government.
Theuri said a government cannot ask people to leave their homes without providing them with directions.
"The 24-hour ultimatum from the government for the families to move seems to be criminalising innocent people," said Theuri. He went on: "As LSK we are opposed to the manner in which the government is launching the operation. We knew it will end up in this."
Meanwhile, the Turkana Council of Elders has criticised the government's decision to give residents 24 hours to leave areas designated as bandit hideouts in the region.
Abraham Lokuwom, chairman of the Lodwar Municipal Council, said the decision to evict residents was hasty and ill-informed.
Lokuwom said the region was experiencing drought, and that forcing people to leave their homes was not a good idea.
He said the government has the capacity and machinery to deal with the region's increased insecurity and to root out bandits.
"It is unfair to wake up one day and start evicting people from their homes. The government must come up with a good plan before making an irrational decision to ask people to vacate. We fear some residents will be victimised in ongoing security operations," Lokuwom said.
Interior CS Kithure Kindiki on Sunday ordered residents to vacate some parts of the North Rift region within 24 hours.
In the statement, Kindiki said the specific areas are suspected to be used by the bandits as hideouts.
He has also issued a stern warning that whoever is found in the said areas is to be treated as a criminal by the security agencies.
"All law-abiding civilians are ordered to vacate the areas immediately...."
"The above-specified spaces are hereby declared scenes of crime, and any person found therein will be treated as a suspect of armed banditry, or as a suspect of aiding and abetting banditry, or an accessory after the fact. Everyone must get out," the statement said.
According to CS Kindiki, the specified areas are also home to dangerously armed criminals.
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