The forgotten widows of Lomelo: the other victims of North Rift banditry
Police escort pupils of Kapedo Girls Primary School as they relocate from a pastor's home where they were hosted since January 2017 following bandit attacks, to their school in Suguta, Turkana County, on February 3, 2025.
What you need to know:
- Women and children in the North Rift region live in gated communities under constant threat from bandits who deliberately target them when they venture out.
- Despite security operations reducing attacks in the broader Lomelo-Kapedo corridor, vulnerable communities comprised mostly of widows and orphans remain in grave danger.
- Local officials are investigating the targeted attacks and planning to rehabilitate water sources to reduce residents' exposure to danger.
The ongoing operation Maliza Uhalifu in the North Rift, conducted by the National Police Service and Kenya Defence Forces, has significantly reduced bandit attacks in the dreadful Suguta Valley's Lomelo-Kapedo corridor.
This security effort has yielded tangible results: Kapedo Girls Primary School has reopened after an eight-year closure due to sporadic attacks, and unescorted transport has resumed on the Lokori-Lomelo-Kapedo road. Yet beneath these apparent victories lies a darker reality—peace spoilers are tactfully targeting vulnerable locals in isolated, gated communities where movement is tightly controlled by armed National Police Reservists.
Sally Ekitela, a Lomelo resident, describes their confined existence in these gated compounds where homesteads share a common fence and entrance point, allowing police reservists and warriors to coordinate defence when bandits attack. The trauma remains fresh in her memory; in February, suspected bandits from neighbouring Silale village in Baringo County launched a night assault, firing indiscriminately and setting part of their protective fence ablaze.
"Bandits are well aware that our village is primarily inhabited by women and children—mostly widows and orphans—with few livestock," Sally explains.
"Their attacks aim to frighten us away from the village, making it easier for them to coordinate criminal activities across Suguta, which extends towards Samburu County."
The village's limited male presence consists almost entirely of national police reservists who work in shifts to provide round-the-clock protection while maintaining communication with security agencies during persistent attacks.
The insecurity has bred increasingly sophisticated tactics from the bandits, who deliberately vandalise essential infrastructure like health facilities and water points, forcing locals to venture out for basic services and thus becoming exposed to danger.
"We're currently facing severe water scarcity," Sally continues. "For clean water, one must temporarily relocate to Kapedo, roughly 40 kilometres away, when security vehicles are engaged in operations. Those who remain behind must walk four kilometres to collect water from unsafe scoop holes in the Suguta River."
Jackson Ekwom, Lomelo Location chief, confirms that fetching water and firewood has become perilously dangerous for women and children, who are specifically targeted by bandits.
"Around 7am recently, most women and children who had left the village to fetch water from the Suguta River were attacked. One woman, Emunyen Eulo, was shot dead while carrying a 20-litre jerrycan of water," he recounts sombrely.
The attack also left another woman and a boy injured; both were rushed to hospital in Nakuru. What particularly disturbs the chief was the bandits' behaviour following the assault
"After the attack, these daring bandits didn't flee immediately. They waited until I had mobilised National Police Reservists and signalled officers from the Rapid Deployment Unit to retreat—suggesting they have more sinister motives," Jackson explains.
He notes that through local peace committees, the two communities had been coexisting peacefully for the past six months, sharing relief food and accessing services at health facilities.
Suguta deputy county commissioner Franklin Ongori, indicates that authorities are investigating the circumstances to determine whether this was a targeted attack or stemmed from a dispute.
"My office, alongside the Sub-county security team and Kenya Defence Forces, is mobilising to visit the area and assess the situation first-hand," he states.
"We remain fully committed to ensuring security and stability in the region. I urge anyone with information to cooperate with authorities as we work to bring those responsible to justice."
He emphasises their tireless efforts to ensure no community lives in fear, reinforcing security measures to prevent such incidents. "I encourage the community to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to security agencies," Franklin adds.
According to local intelligence, two well-known bandits initiated the attack. Stanley Loter, an opinion leader, argues that renewed attacks should not be generalised as inter-community conflicts, as this approach would hinder security agencies from addressing the real issues.
"All criminals have names and families; communities should not serve as a blanket to shield thieves, murderers and criminals," he asserts. "Border residents should unite and cooperate with security agencies to arrest culprits, take them to court, and make them pay bail to ensure they respect the law."
With water scarcity being the primary challenge exposing locals to attacks, Turkana County Chief Officer for Water Services Simon Ekai reveals his department's plans to rehabilitate water sources.
"The reverse osmosis system, unlike other systems such as solar pumps, cannot be fixed by our technical team and must largely be outsourced," Simon explains.
"We have completed an assessment of the Lomelo water system, which was delayed by difficulty finding experts willing to enter the area due to security challenges. We hope to fix it soon." He acknowledges that while osmosis technology is expensive, it is worthwhile for ensuring sustainable water supply.
