Murkomen: Marginalisation, lack of development fuel banditry

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen appearing before the National Assembly’s Internal Security and National Administration Committee on Wednesday, October 7, 2026. [MINA]

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has told a parliamentary committee that marginalisation and poor development are major drivers of banditry in northern Kenya.

Appearing before the National Assembly’s Internal Security and National Administration Committee on Wednesday, October 7, to discuss the security situation in Samburu County, Murkomen said banditry in Samburu, Baringo, Turkana, Isiolo, Marsabit and West Pokot counties was closely linked to economic factors and a lack of basic infrastructure.

“All those areas that are banditry prone, there is one common denominator. There are no roads, there is no network, there are no schools, there are even no police stations. Accessibility and development is the greatest contributor to the unsustainable factor on banditry,” he said.

The CS said security operations alone would not end banditry unless the underlying causes were addressed. “Unless proper road networks, communication networks, schools and water infrastructure are developed in these areas, police and security will continue doing this over and over again.”

He also blamed poor coordination between security agencies and communities for the persistence of banditry, saying some political leaders had worsened tensions between communities.

“In fact, there are cases where leaders are the ones buying ammunition to distribute to their residents because of the benefits that come with looking like a hero defending your community, speaking loudly and attacking the other community,” he said.

Murkomen urged committee chairperson Gabriel Togoyo to guard against being drawn into actions that could worsen inter-community relations.

The CS said the government was using intelligence-led operations under Operation Maliza Uhalifu to combat banditry and cattle rustling.

Between June and September 2026, security agencies recovered 3,221 livestock out of 4,306 reported stolen. The animals had been stolen from Meru and Isiolo counties.

Murkomen said security camps had been established in Magado and Lii training camps in Meru to create a buffer against banditry and cattle rustling.

“Equally, specialised units, including the General Service Unit, Anti-Stock Theft Unit, Quick Response Unit and Special Operations Group, have been deployed in the affected region for sustained security operations and presence,” he said.

According to the CS, police also recovered 2,395 illegal firearms between September 2025 and September 2026 during disarmament operations in bandit-prone areas.

He added that the government had improved mobility, surveillance and communication systems for officers deployed in the affected areas.

Some of the 10,000 recently graduated police officers have also been deployed to bandit-prone areas to strengthen understaffed units, he said.

“I have given a policy direction that the Inspector General of Police should train all the other 7,000 NPRs again together, taken to the same place, refit and retrain,” he said.

Between June and September 2026, banditry-related attacks killed 14 people and injured 17 others, according to Murkomen.