Natembeya: Kibicho Was A Stumbling Block In Our Fight Against Banditry

George Natembeya, the current Trans Nzoia Governor and former Rift Valley Regional Commissioner, has highlighted the complexities of the war against banditry in the country's North Rift region. Cattle rustlers and bandits have been a major cause of concern, leading to hundreds of deaths, displacement of residents, and loss of thousands of livestock in recent years. The most affected counties are Baringo, Turkana, and Elgeyo Marakwet.

Natembeya has said that the war against banditry has been crippled by top government officials due to a lack of goodwill and financial constraints. He expressed his determination to weed out bandits, even with minimal input from the interior ministry. However, he was frustrated by the lack of support from his seniors, among them former Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho, whom he said did not pick or return phone calls when he tried to reach him.

Despite his enthusiasm and determination to combat banditry, Natembeya's officers were operating without enough fuel and vehicles, as well as poor food supply, making them "completely demoralized." This situation was made worse by the fact that he was held responsible for the war on banditry yet not given adequate support.

Interior CS Kithure Kindiki recently stated that 100 civilians and 16 police officers have been brutally murdered in the last six months by bandits and livestock rustlers. The government has also ordered all persons across the country in possession of illegal firearms and ammunition to surrender them willingly within the next three days.

In response to the festering security situation, President Ruto has ordered a joint operation by the National Police Service and the Kenya Defence Forces within the troubled area in efforts to weed out bandits. In a recent bandit attack on the Kitale - Lodwar highway at Kaakong area of Turkana County, six people, including four police officers, lost their lives. Seven officers, including a sub-county Police Commander, were also hospitalized with gunshot wounds in the gunfight that lasted hours into the night. On Thursday, three people were killed, and one was critically injured in another attack at Kakong area in Turkana South.