175 police reservists deployed in banditry scarred Samburu
In this past photo, women and children migrate to safer grounds in Samburu North. Samburu has for long time experienced insecurity in the form of banditry, cattle rustling and ethnic conflicts.
The government has deployed an additional 175 National Police Reservists (NPR) to bolster the fight against escalating banditry in Samburu County.
The reservists graduated after completing a month’s training by General Service Unit (GSU) officers in Ltungai, Samburu West Constituency.
They are expected to reinforce local police and military units involved in the ongoing security operation targeting hotspots such as Pura, Lolmolog, Longewan, Lkeek Sapuki, the Malaso escarpments, and other areas across the region’s volatile western belt.
Since 2023, more than 500 NPR officers have been recruited following the Kenya Kwanza administration’s decision to reintroduce reservists in regions plagued by banditry and cattle rustling.
Newly recruited National Police Reservists take oath during their pass-out ceremony at Ndumuru Primary School grounds in Igembe North, Meru County, on December 15, 2023.
The latest deployment signals the government’s growing reliance on localised, homegrown security solutions to tackle deep-rooted insecurity in Samburu County.
Samburu County Commissioner John Cheruiyot said the NPR officers had received special training, including tactical drills tailored to the unique challenges of the region. He noted that their main responsibility would be to complement existing security teams in maintaining peace and protecting citizens.
“They will be deployed across the affected areas to help restore calm. Their core mandate is to ensure people and their property are secure,” said Mr Cheruiyot.
Samburu Governor Lati Lelelit welcomed the move expressing hope that the NPR officers would help contain the rampant cases of livestock theft that have devastated communities.
“The training of NPRs is a local solution that will significantly complement the national government's efforts to fight the menace of banditry,” said Governor Lelelit.
Samburu County Governor Jonathan Lati Lelelit.
He pledged to work closely with national agencies and local leaders to restore order and end the suffering of residents who have endured frequent attacks for months.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has maintained that the multi-agency operation codenamed Maliza Uhalifu (End Crime), launched in 2023, is achieving its objectives.
The operation spans Samburu, Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet, Turkana, West Pokot and Laikipia counties and involves collaboration between the police and the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).
Mr Murkomen credited enhanced intelligence gathering and the deployment of more security personnel for what he described as “remarkable improvement” in restoring peace in some areas, especially Kerio Valley.
“Operation Maliza Uhalifu has made great strides in reversing the cattle rustling menace in Kerio Valley, a success we will jealously guard. We’re doing everything possible to sustain the calm that has returned so that residents can continue reaping the peace dividends. Schools have reopened and economic activities are gradually resuming, ” the CS said.
Despite these gains, several parts of Samburu and Baringo remain tense, with residents reporting continued attacks and livestock theft.
In recent weeks, renewed waves of violence have claimed lives and displaced communities.
In the latest incident, two national government administrators were killed in separate bandit attacks, further underscoring the volatility in the region.
Rampant attacks
In Samburu alone, 18 people have been killed since the start of the year, while several others are nursing injuries.
Local residents say that despite the increased presence of security personnel, the attackers continue to raid villages with impunity, often striking at night or during early morning hours when communities are most vulnerable.
Police officers retrieve bodies from the Suyian battlefield in Samburu North after an attack by bandits. Networks of heavily armed criminals operate across the vast and volatile Samburu County, operating with impunity.
“We still live in fear. Armed raiders continue to invade our homes and drive away livestock,” said a local resident from Lolmolog.
The government says it remains committed to dismantling bandit networks and restoring order through a combination of community-led security initiatives and sustained military operations.
As the new batch of NPR officers takes up deployment, residents hope they will make a meaningful difference in protecting lives and livelihoods in a region long defined by cycles of violence.