A 24-year-old herder, Kai Ebu, was shot dead in an attack by gunmen in Merikuka village, Kokuro, near the Kenya-Ethiopia border on Wednesday evening. His body was discovered with a gunshot wound to the head, raising concerns over the escalating insecurity in the region.
According to police, Ebu was grazing his calves along the banks of the Loyoro River when he was targeted and killed. While the motive of the attack remains unclear, authorities and villagers suspect that raiders from Ethiopia, who had been sighted in the area earlier, may have been responsible. The attackers fled immediately after the incident.
A multi-agency security team visited the scene, confirming that efforts to trace the assailants were ongoing. Authorities assured residents that measures were being taken to prevent retaliatory attacks, which are common in the region due to ongoing conflicts over livestock and land.
In a separate incident within the same area, police arrested a suspect linked to cattle rustling and recovered an AK-47 rifle with four bullets. The arrest followed a joint operation between police and locals, highlighting increased community involvement in security efforts.
The region has faced persistent threats from armed raiders, prompting the government to intensify security operations. The ongoing Operation Maliza Uhalifu North Rift, launched in February 2023, is a government-led initiative aimed at curbing banditry, cattle rustling, and intercommunal violence in Turkana and eight other counties—Baringo, Samburu, Elgeyo Marakwet, West Pokot, Marsabit, Laikipia, Isiolo, and Meru.
Security forces, including the National Police Service and the Kenya Defence Forces, have been deployed to these areas to restore peace. Officers have successfully disarmed hundreds of bandits, dismantled their hideouts, and strengthened local security networks. To further bolster efforts, the government has also restructured the management of the National Police Reservists (NPR), recruiting and training 1,702 reservists in Baringo, Samburu, Laikipia, Meru, Turkana, and West Pokot. Additionally, 400 reservists in Elgeyo Marakwet and Isiolo were re-armed to support ongoing operations.
To improve governance and enhance service delivery in conflict-prone regions, the government recently gazetted 126 new administrative units across Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo, Turkana, Samburu, Meru, and Laikipia Counties. These units aim to facilitate better resource allocation and a more effective response to security challenges.
The attack on Kai Ebu underscores the urgent need for sustained security measures in the Kenya-Ethiopia border region. As the government continues its crackdown on banditry, residents remain hopeful that peace and stability will be restored.
