Three people including a National Police Reservist were Saturday killed at Mlango in Burat ward, Isiolo by bandits suspected to have come from neighbouring Samburu County, days after two others were killed in Loruko area.
The armed criminals ambushed the two herders and shot them dead before unleashing terror on the police reservist and walking away with his firearm and unknown number of livestock.
County Commissioner Geoffrey Omoding said the motive of the dawn attack was being investigated as a manhunt for the criminals and efforts to recover the firearm continues.
“We have deployed officers to quell tension in the area and appeal to President William Ruto to consider extending the military operation in North Rift to troubled areas in Isiolo,” Mr Omoding said.
The attack brings to 10, the total deaths reported in the area in the last two weeks.
Local leaders and residents have blamed Dr Ruto’s government of doing little to end the senseless killings in the area.
Led by Mr Osman Shariff Abukar and Somali community elder Abdullahi Mohammed, they lamented that the troubled area was slowly turning into a battlefield robbing women of their husbands and children of their parents.
Condoling with the bereaved families, Mr Shariff asked the security agencies to step up efforts to end banditry attacks that were happening on Isiolo side.
“We are tired of mourning and burying our relatives every passing day. The government must quickly act and stop the killings,” he said, accusing police of slow response to insecurity alerts shared by the public.
Ms Deka Kasin, a resident, said the attacks were aimed at displacing local communities from their lands to benefit from upcoming mega government projects and not from resource based conflicts.
“It is so sad that leaders that we elected are nowhere to be seen when our people are being killed and maimed on frequent basis,” she said.
Mr Abdishakur Shariff said the government should expedite deployment of police reservists to the area or arm local residents to protect themselves.
“Until when will we continue crying? CS Kithure Kindiki (Interior) must walk the talk and enhance police response to security alerts,” he said.
Residents claimed several people had gone missing with fears high they might have been killed during the attack. The three will be buried this morning.
Mr Omoding said by extending the military operation to Isiolo, criminals in neighbouring Samburu and Laikipia counties where a 30-day dusk to dawn curfew is on, will have nowhere to run to which will avert attacks especially in Isiolo.
The operation is also being conducted in some parts of West Pokot, Baringo, Turkana and Elgeyo Marakwet.
The senior administrator lamented that one of the local communities was harbouring criminals from the neighbouring county making it hard to contain banditry within the Isiolo/Samburu border.
Illegal herders from neighbouring Samburu, Marsabit and Laikipia counties have also been blamed for the rising attacks with authorities ordering them to leave at will or be forcefully flushed out.
Mr Shariff said while a security operation would help weed out criminals from the hotspot areas, holding local leaders and chiefs accountable would yield much fruit.
“Whenever one wants to meet communities (during campaigns), they have to go through the clan leaders. The government should change tack because the men unleashing terror on whichever side are known by their respective community members and that is where the focus should be,” he said.
