NAIROBI – Kenyan authorities on Friday ordered the immediate deployment of specialized police units to the Nairobi-Garissa highway following a week of escalating inter-community violence that has paralyzed transport and left several dead.
Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja confirmed that units from the General Service Unit (GSU) and the Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU) were dispatched to the border between Kitui and Garissa counties.
The move comes after protesters blocked the primary transit corridor for a second consecutive day, demanding government intervention against cross-border raids and livestock theft.
“The escalation of violence along the Mwingi-Garissa road is a threat to national security and years of peaceful coexistence,” said MP Adan Keynan, representing a caucus of Northern Kenya leaders.
While security dominated the headlines, KenGen, the state’s primary power producer, offered a rare piece of economic relief.
The utility announced a planned reduction in electricity tariffs, citing a surge in hydroelectric generation after heavy seasonal rains replenished key dams.
