Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kithure Kindiki has affirmed that he will not withdraw the security forces deployed to the banditry-prone areas in Northern Kenya until the situation is utterly resolved.

CS Kindiki, who has been bullish to tame the malady, reiterated that he will be firm on ensuring that the bandits are dominated and the bloodbath in the region is nipped in the bud.

"Our plan is to first and foremost silence the guns immediately we must work to stop the bloodbath and the reckless loss of lives that we have experienced in parts of these five counties," he said speaking to local tv on Monday. 

"We are resolute, focused and determinedKindiki: Security Deployed To Fight Bandits Are There To Stay For Good to ensure that we, first of all, stop the bloodshed."

Privy to the task awaiting the police troops, CS Kindiki said that the circumstances that impel the banditry are deeply rooted in history and it will definitely be an uphill task to assuage the matter.

"We are under no illusion that this is a small matter. The silencing of the guns itself is not a small matter because there has been a proliferation of illicit arms and small weapons in that region for approximately 9 years," he said.

"The circumstances that have bred the proliferation still exist. We expect it to be complex to try and deal with the gun culture but we have determined that we must, in the shortest time possible run over those criminals and make sure they stop killing people."

CS Kindiki, therefore, affirmed that he will not withdraw any officer from the region and if anything he will be adding more troops as reinforcement.

"We are in the North as the security apparatus of Kenya to stay, we are not coming back, we are there to stay for good," noted Kindiki.

"The security presence we have put in the last few days, and we are even considering upscaling it, will not be withdrawn."

KDF officers arrived in the banditry hot spots - Turkana, West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo, Laikipia and Samburu - on February 14 following a deployment order by Defence Cabinet Secretary (CS) Aden Duale.

The officers will be expected to assist the National Police Service (NPS) in alleviating the dire security situation that has been declared a National Emergency.

The chaos in the country's North Rift region has resulted in the loss of hundreds of lives, the displacement of residents, and the loss of thousands of livestock.

CS Kindiki, during a past address, stated that over 100 civilians and 16 police officers have been brutally murdered in the last six months by the marauding bandits and livestock rustlers.