Security officers have officially embarked on a massive operation in banditry-prone Samburu county days after the government amnesty period elapsed last Thursday.
It happened as more guns were surrendered by civilians holding them illegally in the troubled North Rift region.
By Monday, 12 illegal guns had been surrendered to authorities in Samburu in the wake of a security operation, while four had been surrendered in West Pokot and three in Turkana county.
However, no gun had been surrendered in Baringo and neighbouring Elgeyo Marakwet county.
A multi-agency team involving Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) and regular police officers had Monday intensified air and ground patrols in the region, as they sought to ensure bandits who have been wreaking havoc in the region do not flee to other parts.
Last week, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki declared Samburu, Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet, Turkana, West Pokot, Turkana, and Laikipia as disturbed and dangerous. His Defence counterpart Adan Dwale also gazetted the involvement of KDF to back up the security operation in the disturbed counties.
In Samburu county, heavy security presence was witnessed in Suguta Mar Mar, Loosuk, Pura, and Malaso areas. In Suguta Mar Mar, police have mounted roadblocks to conduct a thorough security check on the movement of vehicles in and out of Samburu.
On Monday, military vehicles were spotted patrolling Suguta-Maralal roads with well-armed military officers arriving. A section of the security troops proceeded to Malaso and Pura escarpments, an area believed to be a hideout for bandits in the region.
Locals who spoke to the Nation expressed optimism the operation will neutralize bandit insurgency in the region even as they hoped that civilians will not be harassed by the deployed officers.
AK-47 guns surrendered by bandits during a previous security operation. Only 15 illegal firearms were surrendered to Samburu County authorities by Sunday February 20, 2023.
Photo credit: Florah Koech | Nation Media Group
"We have suffered in the hands of the armed bandits all these years. If deploying the military will end this menace, then we welcome them," said David Lenakwapus, a clergyman in Samburu County.
"But we hope the officers will go for the real bandits who are hiding in caves and leave innocent people to continue with their daily routine,” he said.
The government is hoping that more guns illegally being held by civilians in the troubled North Rift will be surrendered when security officers begin to engage bandits in their hideouts in an operation announced by Prof Kindiki last week.
Three guns had been surrendered by civilians in the region by the end of the amnesty period on Thursday- two in Turkana county and one in Baragoi, Samburu, respective county commissioners had told Nation on Thursday afternoon.
However, no gun had been recovered or surrendered in Baringo and Elgeyo Marakwet counties by Monday, even after hundreds of Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) soldiers were deployed to the region last week.
County commissioners Abdirisack Jaldesa (Baringo) and John Korir (Elgeyo Marakwet) said Monday that since the announcement of the security operation last Monday and deployment of troops to the region, no gun has ever been recovered.
"We are optimistic guns will be recovered when the security officers begin to engage the bandits in their hideouts. The security officers are completing the reconnaissance and soon we will see contacts with the bandits who have stuck with the guns," said Mr Korir.
Mr Jaldesa said despite the region holding thousands of illegal guns, no civilian has cooperated with security agencies to return them.
"We are still urging them to surrender the guns, failure to which they will face the full force of the law," said Mr Jaldesa.
West Pokot had yielded four illegal guns on Monday, all coming after the expiry of the amnesty on Thursday.
Some of the guns surrendered are believed to have been used in the killing of security officers in Turkana County a week ago, according to West Pokot County Commissioner Apollo Okello.
The guns were recovered from Masol area, Chekerok location in Pokot Central Sub County, through government administrators, peace committees, and elders.
Residents from troubled belts of Chesegon and Turkwel told Nation nothing was happening on the ground as pertains to the operation.
“Bandits who disturb people along the West Pokot, Turkana, and Elgeyo Marakwet border points are from Tiaty in Baringo counties and not here. Our neighbours have revenge here because we are Pokots,” said Titus Lopuriang a resident from Cheptulel area.
Pokot Central Sub County Police commandant Nelson Omwenga noted that the area was peaceful. “We have not seen anything and locals are disturbing us with many questions about the security operation. We are waiting for directions from above,” said Mr Omwenga.
In Turkana, residents in Turkana South Sub County where a multiagency team has rolled out a major security operation to efficiently deal with bandits and criminals are breathing a sigh of relief from frequent attacks that have resulted in killings, forceful evictions, and theft of livestock.
A spot check at Kalemngorok, Kaakong, and Kainuk centres revealed a heavy security presence with an effective dusk-to-dawn curfew.
Residents said that the high presence of security officers who are patrolling the region has resulted in a sudden stop to the frequent bandit attacks.
Mr James Kisike, a resident at Kalemngorok centre said that he no longer sees civilians brandishing illegal firearms ready to attack innocent herders, motorists, farmers, passengers as well as charcoal burners and vendors.
"We currently sleep peacefully and we no longer hear sounds of gunshots or usual threats of attacks," Mr Kisike said.
Ms Shirleen Akolong, a resident of Kainuk near the border of Turkana and West Pokot Counties said since Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome toured the area last Tuesday and military jets were seen hovering over the area, armed bandits who frequently roamed the town driving stolen livestock even in broad daylight had fled.
"The multi-agency security team should also identify all possible bandit routes, and hideouts as well as seal all border points to Uganda where bandits will cross to evade the operation," Ms Akolong said.
In Samburu, an assistant chief handed over one AK 47 assault rifle, three live ammunition, and one magazine to Suiyan Police Post on Monday. On Sunday, locals surrendered five guns to security chiefs in a public baraza in Samburu East Sub County.
Samburu East Deputy County Commissioner Pius Murugu confirmed that four Ak 47 firearms with 16 rounds of ammunition and one carbine rifle with two rounds of ammunition were voluntarily surrendered by the members of the public after a sensitization today at Larmaroi sub-location.
Herders in Baragoi also surrendered an AK-47 rifle firearm ahead of the planned mop-up exercise. Samburu North Deputy County Commissioner Jackson Oloo confirmed, saying the AK-47 rifle with 5 rounds of ammunition was recovered in Bendera village in Baragoi.
Mr Oloo expressed optimism about recovering more guns, currently in the hands of civilians "as people are willing to surrender them."
President William Ruto last week issued an amnesty period to allow illegal gun-holders to surrender them before forceful disarmament. Reports indicate that there are thousands of illegal guns in the hands of civilians across the region, with security officers on assignment in the region readying to confront gunmen.
Governors in North Rift counties have backed the deployment of the military to help in the security operation in the troubled parts of the region, even as they called on the national government to initiate projects as another strategy to restore peace and order.
North Rift Economic Bloc (NOREB) chairman and Nandi County Governor Stephen Sang said national government agencies and development partners should embark on viable development projects to tackle the banditry in the region.
“We are fully in support of that operation because we cannot continue losing lives and destroying the economic potential of this region. The operation can give us some sort of ceasefire,” he said.
- By Geoffrey Ondieki, Fred Kibor, Oscar Kakai, and Sammy Lutta.
