Marsabit leaders led by Governor Mohamud Ali have condemned the killing of a police officer by armed bandits.
The officer was killed at Kubi qalo in Saku constituency Wednesday morning as they pursued stolen livestock.
Another police officer was injured and was rushed to Marsabit Referral hospital and later airlifted to Nairobi for further treatment.
"I have received with great sadness and shock news of the police officer killed and other injured by the armed bandits in kubi Qalo's areas ." Governor Mohamud said.
"I send my heartfelt condolences to the families of the officer and speedy recovery to the injured one," he added.
An eight-year-old boy was also injured in the attack after he was shot in the head.
The governor said the county residents are tired of insecurity incidences where hundreds of people have lost their lives and livelihoods while criminals go unpunished.
The county chief said in the past three years, many insecurity incidents happened in Saku subcounty causing a state of unrest and forced communities out of their homes.
He called on the government to beef up security and mop up illegal firearms in the region.
"If the bandits can kill the security officer dispatched by the government to protect the people and their properties,how safe are the residents." he asked
The governor called on the members of the public to work with security agencies to ensure criminals are brought to book.
He noted that providing security was government's mandate which also required the support of the citizens
Mohamud warned residents against shielding criminals insisting that suspicious movements must be reported to security agencies in the interest of continued peaceful coexistence.
He said his administration will establish a new and exclusive standing committee on peace and dialogue with the mandate of providing permanent support to peace building and inter-ethnic dialogue and mediation at the community level.
He said the committees will begin its work on hotspots and conflict prone areas and extend the coverage to the entire county.
