Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has announced a fresh security plan targeting banditry and the illegal possession of firearms in parts of Turkana and neighbouring counties.

The new measures focus particularly on the Turkana–West Pokot border and the Turkana–Baringo/Tiaty border, areas that the government says continue to experience security challenges despite improvements recorded in other parts of the wider Kerio Valley.

Murkomen announced the latest measures on Sunday, September 27, 2026, while speaking during a church service and fundraiser at Holy Family Parish in Kanamkemer, Lodwar, Turkana County. He was accompanied by Turkana Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai. 

The announcement comes at a time when the government is intensifying its broader campaign against banditry, cattle rustling and the circulation of illegal firearms in pastoralist and border counties.

Increased security personnel and equipment

One of the major measures announced by Murkomen is the deployment of additional security personnel and equipment to areas considered vulnerable to bandit attacks.

According to reports on his announcement, Murkomen said security personnel would be increased substantially in affected areas. He specifically indicated that Special Operations Group deployments could be increased three to five times before the government begins a targeted operation to recover illegal firearms. 

The intention is to provide security agencies with greater capacity to patrol remote areas, respond to attacks and pursue suspected criminals operating along county borders.

The government considers the border areas particularly sensitive because bandits can exploit difficult terrain and county boundaries to evade security agencies. Increased deployment is therefore expected to improve surveillance and shorten the time taken to respond to security incidents.

The Kenya Broadcasting Corporation also reported that recently graduated police officers and newly procured equipment would support operations along the Turkana–West Pokot and Turkana–Baringo borders. 

Focus on illegal firearms

A central part of the new strategy is the recovery of illegal guns and ammunition.

Murkomen has repeatedly linked the availability of illegal firearms to persistent banditry in northern and Rift Valley regions. The latest plan therefore places greater emphasis on identifying, recovering and removing weapons held outside the legal framework.

The CS warned residents against acquiring or keeping illegal firearms and urged those who know people possessing such weapons to encourage them to stop.

The planned operation is expected to move beyond responding to individual attacks and instead target the weapons that enable armed criminal activity.

This approach is significant because banditry in pastoralist regions can involve armed raids, cattle theft, retaliatory attacks and clashes between communities. Removing illegal firearms is therefore being presented by the government as an important part of reducing the capacity of criminal groups to conduct attacks.

Murkomen has also said the operation will target not only armed bandits but also their accomplices and wider criminal networks. The government intends to arrest individuals involved in criminal activities, recover stolen livestock and address conflicts contributing to insecurity. 

Turkana South and Turkana East identified as key areas

Murkomen specifically identified Turkana South, along the West Pokot border, and Turkana East, along the Baringo–Tiaty border, among areas that continue to require additional security attention.

The two areas are strategically important because they sit near county boundaries where communities interact, livestock movements take place and security incidents can have consequences across several counties.

The government's approach is consequently not limited to Turkana County alone. It involves coordination between security agencies operating in Turkana, West Pokot and Baringo, alongside local administration and community leaders.

The emphasis on border areas also reflects the challenge of dealing with insecurity that does not necessarily remain within one administrative boundary.

Arrests and action against accomplices

Another component of the announced strategy is the pursuit of people who support or facilitate banditry.

The government has indicated that security agencies will pursue bandits, their accomplices and individuals connected to criminal networks. This means the operation is expected to focus not only on people directly involved in attacks but also on those who may assist criminals through the supply of firearms, ammunition or stolen livestock.

This is part of a broader shift toward intelligence-led security operations, where agencies seek to identify networks behind criminal activity rather than responding only after an attack has occurred.

Such an approach can also involve gathering information from local communities, monitoring areas where attacks have occurred and coordinating intelligence between different security agencies.

Recovery of stolen livestock

Livestock theft remains an important dimension of insecurity in many pastoralist areas.

The new security operation is expected to include efforts to recover animals stolen during raids. Recovering livestock can be significant for affected families because cattle, goats, sheep and camels are important sources of income, food and livelihood for many pastoralist communities.

The government has indicated that the operation will seek to seize stolen livestock and deal with those involved in criminal activities.

However, livestock recovery can also require careful coordination because animals may move across county boundaries following raids. Cooperation between communities and security agencies is therefore important in identifying stolen animals and returning them to their rightful owners.

Six-month peace target

Murkomen has also spoken about a longer-term objective of restoring peace between communities living along the Turkana–West Pokot border.

According to reports, the CS expressed confidence that the intensified operation would produce significant progress within six months, including the disarmament of criminals and improved coexistence between Turkana and Pokot communities. 

The six-month target provides a timeframe against which the government's security intervention could be assessed.

However, restoring lasting peace in areas affected by banditry generally requires more than security deployments. It also involves addressing livestock theft, access to water and pasture, inter-community tensions, youth involvement in violence, illegal firearms and the economic conditions that can contribute to insecurity.

Role of National Police Reservists

The new measures also come shortly after the government trained and graduated a new group of National Police Reservists.

On September 24, 2026, 705 National Police Reservists graduated from the Magado Field Training Camp in Meru County after undergoing intensive security training. The reservists were drawn from 10 counties, including Turkana, West Pokot and Baringo, as well as Laikipia, Samburu, Isiolo, Meru, Marsabit, Kitui and Tana River. 

Murkomen said the reservists are expected to complement regular police officers, particularly in pastoralist and border regions affected by banditry and cattle rustling.

The inclusion of Turkana, West Pokot and Baringo in the programme is particularly relevant to the latest security plan because these are among the counties connected to the border areas where the government is seeking to strengthen security.

The use of reservists can help provide security agencies with personnel who have local knowledge and understand the terrain and communities in which they operate.

At the same time, Murkomen has warned police reservists that firearms issued to them must only be used for protecting communities and supporting lawful security operations. He said misuse of government-issued weapons would attract legal consequences. 

Police infrastructure remains a challenge

The government's renewed security push comes against a background of infrastructure challenges within the security sector in Turkana.

On September 16, 2026, Murkomen told the Senate that some police stations and security posts in Turkana and Marsabit were below the required standards. He attributed delays in upgrading some facilities to resource constraints. 

This issue is important because security operations in remote counties depend not only on the number of officers but also on adequate police stations, housing, communication facilities, vehicles and other operational equipment.

Improving security infrastructure could therefore complement the additional personnel and equipment announced for the border areas.

Earlier security operation in Kainuk

The latest announcement follows earlier security operations along the Turkana–West Pokot border.

In February 2026, Murkomen ordered a comprehensive security operation in Kainuk, following deadly bandit attacks in the area. Kainuk has been identified as a longstanding banditry hotspot along the Turkana–West Pokot boundary.

At the time, security teams were deployed in areas considered vulnerable, including along major roads and villages. The attacks had also disrupted transport along the Lodwar–Kitale road because motorists feared possible ambushes. 

Murkomen had earlier said the government had made progress in restoring peace in several parts of the Kerio Valley but acknowledged that some areas still required additional intervention. 

The current measures can therefore be viewed as an expansion and strengthening of an already ongoing security campaign rather than an entirely new government response.

Community cooperation

Community cooperation is expected to remain an important part of the government's strategy.

Security agencies often depend on information from residents to identify suspected criminals, locate illegal firearms and respond quickly to threats.

The National Police Service has previously emphasized cooperation between security agencies and communities along the Turkana–West Pokot border. It has also stressed timely reporting of incidents and stronger coordination between county security committees, national government administrators and police commanders. 

For the latest operation to succeed, residents may therefore play a role in reporting information about illegal firearms, planned attacks, stolen livestock and individuals suspected of facilitating criminal activity.

Broader government strategy against banditry

Murkomen's latest announcement is part of a wider national effort to deal with banditry in areas including Turkana, West Pokot, Baringo, Samburu, Laikipia, Isiolo and Elgeyo-Marakwet.

Earlier in 2026, Murkomen said the government intended to extend disarmament strategies used in other parts of the Kerio Valley to additional insecurity-prone areas, including Turkana, Laikipia and Isiolo. 

The government has also been increasing training for National Police Reservists and strengthening multi-agency security operations.

The broader strategy is based on the understanding that banditry is not simply a policing issue. It can involve illegal firearms, cattle rustling, inter-community disputes, cross-border movement, difficult terrain and limited access to government services.

Importance for residents and businesses

Improved security in the Turkana border areas would have consequences beyond preventing attacks.

Residents need safe access to markets, schools, health facilities, grazing areas and transport routes. Traders and motorists also depend on secure roads to move between Turkana and neighbouring counties.

When insecurity increases, people may avoid travelling, businesses can suffer losses and families can be forced to change their normal activities.

The security situation along the Turkana–West Pokot border is particularly important because of the strategic road links connecting northern Kenya with western parts of the country.

A sustained reduction in banditry could therefore support economic activity and improve confidence among residents and travellers.Kenya