Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen says the
number of illegal firearms surrendered to security agencies during the ongoing
voluntary disarmament exercise in the North Rift has risen to more than 2,000.
Murkomen said the firearms were surrendered by reformed bandits and other community members in counties affected by banditry.
The counties include Turkana, Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo, Samburu and West Pokot.
The CS said the intelligence-led security operation in the region has succeeded in curbing banditry, a challenge previous governments had failed to address.
Murkomen said President William Ruto has been determined to end banditry once and for all and that security teams deployed to the region had clear instructions to deal with the menace decisively.
Speaking during a women's empowerment event in Moiben constituency, Uasin Gishu county, Murkomen said residents were now enjoying peace after suffering from banditry for many years.
He explained how the disarmament exercise was carried out, noting that those who refused to surrender illegal firearms had been dealt with without mercy.
"We first issued orders that those with illegal guns must surrender them to the police. At first, many ignored the directive, arguing that we would not succeed where previous governments had failed," Murkomen said.
He said the government secretly compiled the names of people believed to be in possession of illegal firearms, after which chiefs informed them that they had to surrender the weapons.
"They had to comply with Ruto's directive, which gave them three options. We are happy that many of them chose the best option, which was to surrender the guns," he said.
Murkomen said the same approach would be applied in all areas affected by banditry, including parts of Nyanza and the South Rift.
"I will go and camp in those areas until we have no illegal guns at all. If those in such areas do not believe us, let them travel to Kerio Valley and ask residents what happened," Murkomen said.
The CS said President Ruto had achieved significant development across the country and that the government was implementing major infrastructure projects to open up all regions, including Kerio Valley.
The event was also attended by host Governor Jonathan Bii, Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Wisley Rotich and area MP Professor Phyllis Bartoo, among others.
