Marsabit killings provoke fears of a return to banditry attacks
Marsabit County Commissioner Paul Rotich (centre) flanked by the county security team during a press briefing at his office on November 5,2021.
The National Council Churches of Kenya (NCCK) has warned of a possible return to violence in Marsabit county after two months of relative calm.
NCCK Northern Kenya Branch Chairperson Wario Qampicha expressed fears over recent killings by armed bandits in Saku and Laisamis sub-counties.
“We appeal to security agencies and all Marsabit residents not to condone a state of lawlessness. The recent banditry incidents reported in Saku and Laisamis sub-counties indicate a security lapse,” Bishop Qampich said.
The cleric said memories of the chilling murders of innocent residents by criminals in a two-year reign of terror were still fresh in the minds of many.
He said the dusk-to-dawn curfew imposed by the government in May and the ongoing security operation had restored some semblance of calm in the once restive region, but cases of banditry are slowly creeping back.
He urged locals to cooperate with security agencies to identify and bring to book criminals among them.
Fought off bandits
The cleric was reacting to last week’s incidents of cattle rustling and killings reported in Badasa, Shurr, Kurkum, and Boru Harro.
On Thursday afternoon, bandits shot dead a 32-year-old man at Songa-Leyai junction near Badasa Dam as he rode his motorbike from Marsabit town to Songa.
On Friday, residents successfully fought off bandits who wanted to steal their cattle in Shurr.
In other incidents, two boys aged 17 and 12 were killed while herding their families’ livestock in Laisamis Sub-county on Monday. No animal was stolen in the attack. Elsewhere, bandits shot and injured a man in Boru Harru, Saku sub-county.
County Commissioner Paul Rotich, however, termed the attacks isolated, insisting that the security officers were in control of the situation.
He said three suspects had been arrested in connection with the cattle rustling reported in Kurkum and Shurr.Mr Rotich added that an operation to flush out bandits, who have been using Marsabit Forest as a hideout, had taken off last Thursday, and will continue until all the criminals are arrested.
“I want to assure residents that we’ve not slackened in any way in restoring calm in Marsabit. The operation will continue until we recover all guns and arrest all the criminals,” he added.
