Hope as security operation tames nagging banditry, two years later

The guns have gone silent, at least for now, in the North Rift.

The counties of Baringo, Turkana, West Pokot, Laikipia, Elgeyo Marakwet and Samburu have in the past been synonymous with banditry, but are now witnessing some sense of tranquility.

The decades-old practice has taken root owing to its connection to communities’ culture, but has now been commercialised. The quest for quick money has left a trail of destruction.

Banditry has often been a perfect campaign issue for both local and national leaders, with every administration vowing to put an end to it.

Even President William Ruto, while on the campaign trail in the run up to the last elections, made a fair share of promises to the residents.

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A year after taking over the State House, he launched Operation Maliza Uhalifu  in February, 2023.

The operation brings together the National Police Service, Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), national government administrators, the National Intelligence Service and local leaders.

It is being coordinated by the Anti-Livestock Theft Unit Commandant Joseph Limo, who says they have achieved most of the targets they set for themselves.

“I can say we have silenced the guns; the area is very calm.”

KDF Projects

Without giving specific numbers, Limo says the operation had seen the recovery of more than 90 per cent of the stolen animals as well as illegal firearms.

“Officers go to the markets as part of our routine patrols because animals stolen end up in the markets. Through intelligence we have been able to make arrests and recover some animals during market day,” he says.

Baringo Commander, Julius Kiragu, agrees. “The peace we are enjoying is a result of the government investing in initiatives aimed at driving people towards peace.” 

Brigadier Stephen Huria, the KDF commanding officer, says the operation would ensure “enduring peace in the North Rift”. 

Soldiers have been deployed in the hotspot areas in the six counties to ensure that they were properly secured, allowing them to embark on the second phase of the operation.

In this phase, the KDF has been engaging in the civil-military cooperation programmes, where they are involved in the reconstruction of abandoned schools that were vandalized by the bandits.

“I can confidently report that priority had been given to 14 schools and we have completed all of them and out of that, we have seen the enrollment rise between 50 to 100 per cent,” he says.

The army has also been providing foodstuff, water and medical care to communities.

The operation has also seen the integration of community leaders and the clergy in preaching peace.

“We have done key leadership engagements where we bring elders together to bring out their solutions like forming up grazing committees,” says Major Yusuf Sora, the commanding officer of the Chesitet Front Operating Base.

Religious leaders

Lieutenant Colonel Ishmael Papa, who is in charge of the Mukutani Front Operating Base, says this will help end conflicts between the different communities over resources like water and grazing fields.

Ndung’u Macharia, Tot assistant county commissioner, estimates banditry to have reduced by between 80 and 85 per cent.

Residents say some of those killed and those carrying out the killings were their children or people they know.

Peter Choichoi, a retired reverend, says during Sunday sermons, the clergy take time to engage the community on the importance of peace.

Bishop Yusuf Losute of the Africa Inland Church is calling on the government to invest in key areas like health, education and transport, saying the region is lagging on development, which fuels banditry.

At the Cheptulel Boys High School in West Pokot County, which is heavily guarded by KDF, learning resumed in January last year after closure for three-and-a-half years.

The principal, James Koitilo, says that the number of students now stands at 102, down from 350 three years ago.  Only 30 students were left after the rest fled for their safety. These were enroled at the Nyang’aita Boys School and Surumben Primary School.

Kolowa Primary School, which is near the border of Baringo and Elgeyo Marakwet counties, enrolment between 2023 and 2025 rose from 324 to 542, according to the headmaster, Geoffrey Lorita.

Luke Tallam, the principal of the North Rift Technical Institute, says they have received students from all over the country since 2022, which has brought change.

Timothy Kiptum, the Chemolingot Kenya Medical Training College principal, says since the first enrolment in 2021, the institution has helped cement peace in the region. It has attracted students from Kilifi, Mombasa, Homa Bay, Lodwar and Nyeri which has helped demystify belief that Tiaty is unsafe.

“We currently have 112 students and in March we are looking to admit around 150 more,” he says.

Joseph Koima, the head of Embossos Primary School, says constant closure  has affected performance. The institution is currently housed by the Arabar Primary School due to insecurity, where at night the classes are converted into dormitories.

The school, which started in 2012, had its 12 learners move to Kaptombes Primary School before finally moving to Arabar.

“The state of security has greatly improved and that can be backed up by the number of students we currently have,” says Koima.

Strained the facilities

But he notes that the move had strained the facilities, calling on more investments in the two institutions.

“If the boarding facility and a dining hall are put up, it will greatly improve the  situation.”

Stephen Kigen, Arabar’s deputy headteacher, admits that KDF activities had improved the lives of the pupils, seeing their numbers rise from 47 to 210.

Peter Merige, the headteacher of Mukutani Primary School, since the operation began in 2023, the number of pupils has risen from 206 to 292.

Teachers want the government to improve facilities in the schools. At Kapindasum Secondary School, the principal, Elijah Kipton, says besides security for 514 students  says that Kapindasum, which has 21 tutors, needs a boy’s dormitory as well as more classes and an administration block.

A spot check on the Kolowa, Nginyang and Loruk markets, which had been greatly affected by banditry, shows that things are slowly going back to normal.

Traders troop back

Traders are confident that with peace, business would pick, and the resumption of matatu operations on the Chemolingot – Marigat route would open up the area for people from outside.

Paul Laktano, the chairperson of the Loruk Market, says that the market brings together the Pokot, Njemps and Tugen communities. He calls on the county and national governments to improve facilities.

Priscah Atolim, the chairperson of the Nginyang Livestock Market Association, says the reopening of the market has given residents a lifeline, adding that parents can now take care of their families.

She acknowledges that the operation has put in  place measures to make sure that stolen livestock did not end up there.

Monicah Solomon from the Kolowa Market urges the youth from  Elgeyo Marakwet and Baringo to embrace peace, saying co-existence is vital for economic growth.