Murkomen visits Turkana after bandits kill four people

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen on Monday visited Lobokat in Aroo Sub-County, Turkana South, following a bandit attack in Kakongu that left four people dead.

Murkomen chaired a high-level security meeting to assess the situation along the Turkana, West Pokot border and plan intensified security operations following the Saturday incident.

The CS said the visit was prompted by recurring cross-border raids carried out by armed criminals who seek to instill fear among peaceful residents.

“We cannot be intimidated. We know the areas we have liberated from banditry in the last year,” Murkomen said.

“Peace is coming. We will eliminate the criminals permanently,” he added.

The CS revealed that the government had made progress in disarmament and security operations in West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet, and Baringo counties.

He announced that the next phase will target the Turkana–West Pokot corridor, with officers undergoing training and security equipment being assembled ahead of the operations.

Murkomen claimed that some bandits receive support from businesspeople and politicians who supply ammunition and incite violence.

He said the government had profiled those behind such acts and would act decisively against them.

The CS’s visit came days after the deadly raid in Kakongu, where bandits ambushed herders guarding livestock.

A pedestrian was also caught in the crossfire. Security agencies later recovered 500 goats, though an unknown number of animals are still missing. The bodies of the four victims were removed to Lodwar Mortuary.

Residents expressed shock that such an attack could occur despite the presence of security agencies in the area, including the Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU), General Service Unit (GSU), army detachments, and drone surveillance.

Kakongu and the wider Turkana South corridor have long suffered repeated raids, resulting in loss of lives, theft of livestock, and widespread displacement.

Many families depend entirely on their animals for survival, and repeated raids have left households impoverished and struggling to meet basic needs.

Local administrator Tarus said additional police officers had been deployed and that multi-agency operations are ongoing to track down the attackers.

“We have sent extra officers to restore calm, and security agencies are working together on the ground,” Tarus said.

Despite the assurances, residents remain skeptical, citing previous promises that failed to prevent further raids. Many fear retaliation, a cycle that has historically fueled insecurity in Turkana South.

Turkana Woman Representative Cecilia Ishuu Ngitit said the raids have set back development in the county.

“Banditry has taken Turkana back on development. We cannot talk about development when peace-loving people are being displaced daily and communities are counting dead bodies.

Investors fear coming, children miss school, and families lose their livelihoods. Without security, development is just a promise on paper.”

“The government must take decisive action against those fueling this violence.

Those funding, arming, or protecting bandits must face firm sanctions and the full force of the law. Our people deserve protection, not repeated condolences. Peace and security are not a favor to Turkana, they are a constitutional right.”

The raids have also disrupted learning, trade, and access to essential services. Families are often forced to relocate temporarily or permanently to safer areas, fracturing traditional community networks.

Children are withdrawn from school, and households sometimes sell remaining livestock or property to survive, creating cycles of poverty that are difficult to break.

Aroo Professionals Chairperson Peter Lolem called for suspension of development projects until peace is secured.

“Suspend the KVDA irrigation project and all oil-related activities. Protect lives first. This conflict must end.

Too many innocent people have been lost, and comprehensive disarmament free from political interference is the only path to lasting peace,” he said.

Security officials said that banditry in the region is carried out by highly mobile attackers operating across county borders, requiring intelligence-led interventions and close cooperation with local communities.

However, residents insist that past operations have often failed to restore confidence or prevent further tragedy.

Tension remains high in Kakongu as families brace for possible retaliatory attacks. The community continues to mourn the dead even as they hope that authorities can finally bring lasting peace to Turkana South.

In Kakongu, the question is no longer who will steal livestock next, it is who will finally stop the bloodshed.