Two herders were shot and seriously wounded as an unknown number of animals were stolen in a bandit attack in Merti, Isiolo.
The gang raided Degogicha village and shot the herders in the stomach before driving off with their animals on Saturday evening.
Police who were called to the scene said the attackers, about ten, drove off with the animals towards Samburu county.
Eastern police boss Rono Bunei termed the incident as isolated, unfortunate and one that had disrupted the relative calm being experienced.
He said police have been mobilised to pursue the attackers who were armed with rifles.
“We have engaged village elders to return the animals that were stolen as part of efforts to tame retaliations and more attacks,” Bunei said.
He however said they have beefed up security, to enable residents to vote on August 9.
There is an ongoing operation to mop up illegal guns in neigbouring Marsabit county, which has pushed the attackers to raid Isiolo.
Residents claim this has exposed them to attacks from neighbouring gunmen after animals.
Officials said the disarmament exercise will continue until at least 5,000 illegal guns are retrieved.
In June, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i said although the multi-agency team deployed in May this year had restored peace in the vast county, the mopping of illegal weapons must be concluded as a long term security strategy.
He said more than 200 guns, 3,000 ammunitions, a grenade and assorted bayonets had been recovered under Operation Rejesha Amani.
"We need to recover more guns. We will review this operation when we have around 3,000 or so guns because we believe many are still in wrong hands," Matiang’i said.
The CS further said the curfew will also be in place until after the general election.
The extension is intended to stabilise a county that has been a theatre of bloody conflicts, claiming hundreds of lives over the years.
“We will stay on this assignment until this place remains peaceful. We have made assurances that we will not end the operation until after the general election. We want this place to be peaceful during campaigns, election and after,” Matiang’i said.
The operation has officers drawn from specialised units including the General Service Unit, Anti Stock Theft Unit and Rapid Deployment Unit.
The CS hailed the deployment of the security team saying it had succeeded in stopping bloody ethnic conflicts that have ravaged the county.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)
