Tension is high in Kainuk, Turkana County, after bandits
shot and killed a 19-year-old man on his way to work at a nearby gold mine.
The man was ambushed near the Turkwel junction, less than a kilometre from a security camp stationed in the area. Security teams have since been deployed to pursue the attackers, who are suspected to have crossed over from neighbouring West Pokot county.
Area MCA Samson Aliwo said the incident has sparked fear among residents and comes barely a day after another man — a motorcycle rider — was shot dead near the same gold mines.
“We are calling on the government to step up security surveillance so that these bandit attacks are stopped,” Aliwo said.
He said residents were growing increasingly anxious over the deteriorating security situation around Kainuk, a volatile border area between Turkana and West Pokot.
Aliwo urged Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen to prioritise ending banditry along the West Pokot–Turkana border, similar to efforts in the Kerio Valley.
“We have lost several people in recent weeks due to bandit attacks. There must be deliberate and sustained efforts to end these killings,” he said, adding that local leaders are engaging the government to find lasting solutions.
The incident comes just days after the killing of two National Police Reservists in Turkana County, which triggered anger among residents and local leaders. The reservists were allegedly shot by Kenya Defence Forces officers, prompting widespread condemnation.
Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai visited the Kaputir area where the incident occurred to console the bereaved families.
The county boss made stopovers at Kalemngorok, Kakong and Kaputir Junction, where residents had blocked the Kitale–Lodwar highway in protest over rising insecurity in Turkana South.
Governor Lomorukai condemned the killings, accusing security officers of shooting the NPRs even after they had surrendered and identified themselves.
“The killing has caused anger among our people because the NPR officers were innocent. They were in uniform and armed but had surrendered and should not have been shot,” Lomorukai said.
He assured residents the county leadership will engage senior officials at the Ministry of Defence to ensure justice is served and the perpetrators held accountable.
The governor called for closer cooperation among security agencies working in the region to address the long-standing insecurity plaguing Turkana South.
He also urged authorities to flush out bandits hiding in the Turkana South Game Reserve, noting that the Ministry of Interior had gazetted the area as a protected reserve where settlement is prohibited.
Lomorukai lamented that the slain NPRs had been providing security to farmers at the Lokwar Irrigation Scheme, describing their deaths as senseless and avoidable. He called for a review of security personnel operations in the region, citing bias and inefficiency.
He further criticised leaders who exploit insecurity and banditry for political gain, questioning how such attacks continue despite the heavy deployment of security forces in Kainuk.
The governor said he had briefed President William Ruto on the worsening security situation in Turkana and called for urgent action to restore peace and public confidence.
INSTANT ANALYSIS
The latest killing in Kainuk underscores the fragile security situation along the Turkana–West Pokot border, where cycles of revenge attacks and weak coordination among security agencies have allowed banditry to persist. Despite repeated government crackdowns, residents continue to live in fear as armed criminals strike with impunity—often near security installations. The incident exposes the deep-seated mistrust between locals and state forces, further complicated by allegations of KDF involvement in civilian deaths. Without a unified security command and consistent community engagement, Turkana South risks sliding back into chronic lawlessness that undermines both peacebuilding and development in the North Rift.
