Police officers have arrested a number of foreigners, of Ethiopian nationality who were allegedly smuggled into the country to inflate the country’s population during the census exercise slated to take place starting today at 6:00pm
Tana River County police boss Fredrick Ochieng confirmed that police manning a checkpoint on the Garissa-Madogo road arrested six people of Ethiopian origin, who are believed to be part f a larger group that was on their way to Tana River.
Ochieng further stated that police are on high alert following intelligence reports that some politicians are planning to smuggle in foreigners, mostly from Somalia and Ethiopia to inflate population during the exercise
‘We have intelligence report of some people planning to smuggle foreigners of mostly Somalia and Ethiopian origin to increase population of people in their respective wards and constituencies,” said Ochieng.
Kenyans have been urged to be vigilant and share information to the authorities on any suspicious persons, and the County Commander said that police are on course searching for more aliens
This happens following the heated debate that some constituencies in the country are more likely to be merged, for they lack threshold to constitute a constitution
In Tana River, Bura and Galole constituencies are among the 27 constituencies that were allowed to exist in 2009 despite not having the required population.
A report by the interim Independent Boundaries Review Commission states that a constituency should have a population of 133,138 people.
The report however, allows for a constituency to be less or more than the quota on special occasions based on geographical features and urban centres; community of interest, historical, economic and cultural ties; and means of communication.
