Police reservists reinstated in troubled Kerio Valley after President Ruto’s order

The government has started enlisting National Police Reservists (NPRs) in parts of the North Rift in a bid to address cattle rustling and banditry.

This follows last week’s directive by President William Ruto when he visited Nakaalei, Turkana County. He ordered Rift Valley Regional Commissioner Maalim Mohamed to deploy police reservists to areas prone to bandit attacks.

“We had NPRs before, but they were removed. I have instructed the county commissioner and [the] regional commissioner that the National Police Reservists be reinstated immediately. We are starting with Turkana East,” Dr Ruto declared last week.

On Wednesday, Mr Mohamed said 90 police reservists had been recruited, vetted, trained and armed before they were deployed to parts of Turkana East, where bandits have been terrorising locals and even killed police officers a month ago.

“The recruiting process has kicked off and the NPRs will complement police efforts to restore order since the security personnel cannot be everywhere at all times. The vetting process has to be rigorous because the NPRs should not be partial while discharging their efforts,” Mr Mohamed said.

“The police reservists, because they are from the local communities, are well versed with the terrain and will be very effective in dealing with the bandits because they even know their hideouts. Their welfare will be catered for and they will be armed just like the security officers.”

He said Samburu will get reservists before the end of this week because the vetting process was still going on.

“Apart from deploying police reservists to quell intercommunal aggression, they will also man international borders where invaders have been killing herders after entering Kenya,” he said.

Collaboration

But he urged Kenyans to cooperate with security officers at all times in efforts to restore security in affected areas. “Locals live with criminals in the villages and they should inform us of their hideouts and we will flush them,” he appealed.

Three weeks ago , security officers in Baringo recovered all the guns that were stolen from police officers who were killed in a banditry attack in Naipetom village in Turkana East on September 25.

It followed collaboration of chiefs and multi-agency teams deployed to smoke out bandits in the area.

The attack left eight police officers, a local chief and two civilians dead, with the killers making away with the guns. The officers were pursuing stolen cattle, but were ambushed and killed by the suspected Pokot bandits who had raided the village and made away with the animals.

Mr Mohamed said the guns were recovered deep in Tiaty West sub county following an ongoing multi-agency operation.

Governor applauded

On Wednesday, he applauded governors in the region for their positive response in addressing the insecurity challenges.

“There is no development without peace and this is why governors from the region have positively helped us in dealing with insecurity. It is very encouraging because of the synergy between the county and the national government,” he said.

He said security officers had recovered over 500 stolen livestock since Monday in the ongoing crackdown on cattle rustling.

“On Monday, police recovered 70 cattle and 150 goats after a confrontation with armed bandits,” he said. 

“One of the bandits was shot dead in Turkana and in a multi-agency operation we recovered an AK-47 rifle. The operation has been sustained across the troubled North Rift region and we have witnessed a reduction in banditry incidents.”

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