Four people were on Saturday shot dead in a bandit attack at Kakong Centre in Turkana County.
Tension at the centre, strategically located along the Kitale–Lodwar Road, disrupted transport activities as a multi-agency security team, including Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers, engaged the bandits in a fierce exchange of fire in efforts to recover stolen goats and sheep.
County Police Commander John Tarus said three herders were shot dead at a grazing field around 9am, while a motorist along the road was shot dead as the bandits fled towards West Pokot County.
“Police officers recovered three bodies from the grazing field. The fourth body was that of the driver who was shot dead by fleeing bandits. The bandits were immediately engaged by National Police Reservists before reinforcements from the Rapid Deployment Unit, KDF and the Anti-Stock Theft Unit arrived,” Mr Tarus said.
The police boss said that by 4pm, 500 goats and sheep had been recovered, adding that the multi-agency team was still pursuing the bandits for more recoveries.
Turkana County Police Commander John Tarus addressing journalists after four people were shot dead in a bandit attack at Kakong centre in Turkana County on Saturday, January 31.
Photo credit: Sammy Lutta | Nation Media Group
“We have deployed a multi-agency team to reinforce the police reservists, recover more livestock and deal with the bandits. The stolen livestock were communally grazed,” Mr Tarus said.
He said the border is currently witnessing increased revenge attacks between the two neighbouring communities following the January 14, 2026 attack on a lorry transporting goats to Kitale, in which bandits shot dead a girl and injured two passengers.
Locals, who identified two of the herders only as Nakuout and Lokol, said there was limited police presence in the area, with only a handful of National Police Reservists.
“It always takes long for multi-agency security teams from Kainuk, the Aroo Sub-county headquarters, to respond. Security camps should be relocated from Kainuk to villages that rely on only a few police reservists for security,” said Mr James Kisike, a resident of Kalemengorok Centre.
Turkana Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai condemned the increased attacks along the border, saying local leaders inciting communities against each other for political mileage should be arrested and their dealings investigated.
“Leaders must urgently unite and find a long-lasting solution to the increased bandit attacks along the border. As part of efforts to address insecurity, the government should redistribute security units around Kainuk town, which has been militarised, while villages such as Kakong remain exposed to banditry,” Mr Lomorukai said.
He noted that having more than five security units around Kainuk town, including the Kenya Defence Forces and the Anti-Stock Theft Unit, has exposed gaps in coordination whenever bandits attack, leaving residents vulnerable.
