A non-governmental organization has praised the government's attempts to reestablish security in the North Rift Region.

PHOTO | COURTESY Stephen Cheboi, the head of the council, issued a plea for nonviolent protests on Saturday, stressing the value of peaceful inter-communal coexistence for the stability of the nation.

Stephen Cheboi, chairman of the National Council of Non-Governmental Organizations, said during a press conference on Friday that this will stabilize the social and economic activity in the area.

Yet, he pleaded with the government to conduct the security operation humanely and avoid victimizing locals.

PHOTO | COURTESY Interior CS Kindiki Kithure leads officers in a mission

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The continuing peace exercise in the country's north, or the north rift county, has the full support of the National Council of NGOs. Yet, we are also pleading with the administration to guarantee a humane pace for the operation in that particular portion of the nation. Also, we don't want to see any violations of human rights, he added.

He further asked the local populations in such areas to lay down their weapons to help bring the peace back.

We are also here to remind the local populations that those areas that have a gun do not make things more secure or peaceful.

Let's follow the government's advice and hand over the weapons that are in the wrong hands. Let only authorized officers possess firearms. We might have a horrible republic where everyone can wake up one morning and do something wrong or even kill one another if we have weapons in our possession, Cheboi said.

PHOTO | COURTESY Interior CS Kindiki Kithure addresses media

The Council appealed after Kerio Valley residents who owned illegal firearms and were armed refused to turn them in when the government's three-day deadline passed on Thursday.

The National Police Service said that only three people had turned in their firearms. one from Samburu and two from Turkana.

President William Ruto issued the injunction as he approved the deployment of Kenya Defense NPS units will get assistance from KDF forces in a multi-agency operation in the North Rift.

Following a sharp increase in banditry attacks and cattle rustling that has resulted in the deaths of 100 civilians and at least 16 police officers, the KDF has the deployment order.