Two illegal firearm holders surrendered one gun to the government during an ongoing security operation in Tiaty, Baringo county.
East Pokot deputy county commissioner Benson Karani received the AK-47 rifle without bullets in Chemoling’ot on Saturday.
The exercise was witnessed by Tiaty MP William Kamket.
“This is just one among the hundreds of guns frequently used by the bandits to attack and steal livestock from the neighbouring communities,” Karani said.
Currently, police officers have been deployed in the area to arrest, pursue and flush out the bandits.
Baringo North resident Richard Chepchomei faulted the handing of the exercise, terming it "mere public relations".
“This is just blackmail, we know the bandits surrender malfunctioning guns while hiding thousands of sophisticated weapons,” he said on Sunday.
The county is inhabited by the warring Pokot, Tugen, Turkana and Ilchamus pastoral communities.
Karani welcomed the move by civilians to willingly surrender illegal guns, saying it would go a long way in improving the security situation in the country.
He said there are more than 800 illegal firearms in Tiaty, and urged local leaders to talk to their people to surrender them.
“Sometimes the bandits also lay attacks across the porous borders of Turkana, Elgeyo-Marakwet, Laikipia and Samburu counties,” Karani said.
He urged residents to embrace education as a tool to end the incessant backward banditry and cattle rustling.
The official gave amnesty to those surrendering their guns willingly, saying they would neither be arrested nor charged.
“But our officers shall continue pursuing stubborn bandits to forcibly seize the weapons and arrest the culprits,” Karani said.
Kamket lauded the move, calling upon other civilians still holding illegal firearms to follow suit and surrender them.
Reportedly, more than 20 firearms have been recovered since the operation started on May 5.
It resulted in a shoot-to-kill order by the Rift Valley Regional Commander George Natembeya on April 16.
“Firearm for firearm. If you kill an innocent Kenyan with your gun, then expect to be killed. Bandits are not the only ones who know how to kill,” Natembeya said.
While visiting to inspect the operation on Friday, the regional commissioner said the exercise would go on until the last bullet from an illegal firearm is silenced.
