President Ruto Speaks On The Abducted Chiefs, Assures Safe Return
President William Ruto has guaranteed the public that the five abducted Mandera chiefs will be safely returned home, vowing to continue the war against criminal gangs and terror groups.
Ruto indicated that he has already asked Deputy Inspector General of Police Gilbert Masengeli to do all in his power to facilitate the administrators’ release.
“Nimekuja na Masengeli hapa, na nishamweleza ya kwamba juu na chini, kulia na kushoto, mbele na nyuma, east or west mpaka haya mambo yatatuliwe,” he said.
Ruto remarked that the government has severely reduced the al Shabaab’s ability to inflict violence on the Kenyan people.
They will, however, do all it takes to ensure that northern Kenya is as safe as the rest of Kenya.
The President also addressed the motivation for the abduction, claiming it was an attempt to intimidate him and deter his visit to the region.
“Hawa wajinga walikuwa wanafikiria ya kwamba wakifanya hivyo ati ndiyo nisikuje hapa. Ni wajinga sana, ni wazimu,” he said.
President Ruto sends warning to Al-Shabaab over abducted chiefs; says he’s not going to cede any part of the country to criminals pic.twitter.com/voRDrZsl2j
— The Standard Digital (@StandardKenya) February 4, 2025
He asserted: “It is not that I have just come to Mandera, I have come and will spend a night and I can even extend it.”
The Head of State declared that Mandera is a part of Kenya, and he will do all necessary to make it as important and safe as the rest of the country.
He stated that they will safeguard the nation’s integrity and will not give up any territory to criminals seeking to cause havoc.
“We will go after them, we will deal with them and we will eliminate them,” he asserted.
The five chiefs were allegedly attacked and seized by suspected terrorists in Elwak, Mandera.
According to police and witnesses, the group was traveling in a car to Elwak when they were ambushed and hijacked by Bamba Owla and Ires Suki.
They were to meet in the area to discuss how to cover Ruto’s planned visit to the region.
Ruto, who started the journey today, will also visit Garissa and Wajir.
Authorities intend to deploy elders to negotiate the release of the five chiefs kidnapped on Monday from Mandera, a town on Kenya’s border with Somalia.
This, they claimed, is the most certain way to ensure their release, considering that they are in the hands of unknown people within Somalia.
Officials stated that elders had already been recognized before their assignment, as is customary in such cases.
“Unless they are killed, which may not happen, we have to send elders to negotiate with their counterparts in Somalia for the release of the administrators,” an official aware of the plans said.
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This came as operations were launched in the area amid fears of further strikes.
Ruto is accompanied by his deputy Kithure Kindiki, Governor Mohamed Khalif, Cabinet Secretaries Aden Duale (Environment) and Eric Mugaa (Water), as well as a large number of regional elected leaders.
Ruto had previously visited Mandera Teachers’ Training College, where he promised to build a building for 500 students as part of the affordable housing initiative.
He also offered the students Sh1 million.
President Ruto Speaks On The Abducted Chiefs, Assures Safe Return
