By Ahmed Salat Ali | Political Affairs | AARAN TV KE
Aden Keynan has broken his silence on the controversial Basir Multi-Agency Centre, strongly defending the project as a critical national security intervention and warning leaders against politicizing matters touching on public safety and regional stability.
In a strongly worded statement, the Eldas legislator said he had deliberately refrained from commenting on the matter for a long period out of respect for the sensitivity of Kenya’s security architecture. However, he noted that growing misinformation and inflammatory narratives surrounding the proposed facility had compelled him to clarify the facts.
“Security remains a sacred constitutional mandate of the National Government, entrusted with safeguarding lives, protecting borders and preserving the stability of our Republic,” Keynan stated.
The MP described the Ethiopia–Moyale–Basir–Arbajan–Isiolo corridor as one of the major transit routes for transnational organized crime, citing drug trafficking, illegal firearms, human trafficking, smuggling and kidnappings as some of the threats facing Northern Kenya.
According to him, the ripple effects of the criminal networks have been felt across several counties, including Wajir County, Marsabit County, Isiolo County, Garissa County, Samburu County, Laikipia County, Meru County and Mandera County, where insecurity, drug abuse, youth vulnerability and economic disruption continue to threaten livelihoods.
Keynan revealed that the Basir Multi-Agency Centre was conceptualized and coordinated by Government security agencies following extensive security assessments and inter-agency consultations.
He explained that all processes, including site identification, stakeholder engagement, project planning, groundbreaking and the handover of the site to contractors, were undertaken by State security organs before the Eldas NG-CDF was later invited to support the construction phase.
“It is regrettable that the same Government security agencies later suspended the project, reducing a critical national security initiative into a subject of political contestation and administrative contradiction,” he said.
The legislator also dismissed claims that Basir and Tito fall under Marsabit County, insisting that the two locations have historically remained within the administrative structure of Wajir County.
He noted that Basir Sub-Location existed as early as the late 1980s before later becoming a recognized location and divisional headquarters under the former Wajir West Constituency and now Eldas Constituency.
“These facts are documented and verifiable in official administrative records and cannot be altered through political narratives,” Keynan asserted.
The MP questioned the sudden emergence of boundary-related disputes, arguing that the communities of Basir, Tito and neighbouring areas have coexisted peacefully with residents of Moyale for decades without conflict over administrative boundaries.
He further urged leaders to exercise restraint and avoid inflammatory rhetoric capable of heightening tensions in the region.
“Matters of national security are too sensitive to be reduced to political theatre or populist contestation. Leadership must be guided by wisdom, responsibility and an unwavering commitment to public safety,” he said.
Keynan called on the National Government to provide decisive leadership and determine the next phase of the project, saying the facility was specifically intended to dismantle criminal gangs, curb human and drug trafficking and combat the proliferation of illegal firearms.
At the same time, he appealed to residents of Wajir County and Marsabit County to uphold peace, unity and coexistence, warning against divisive narratives that could incite mistrust and conflict among neighbouring communities.
“Let us choose dialogue over division and peace over conflict. Together, we are stronger in unity and harmony,” the MP concluded.
The statement comes amid heightened debate over the future of the Basir Multi-Agency Centre, a project that has increasingly attracted political and administrative attention within the larger Northern Kenya security discourse.
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