Two gunmen were at the weekend shot and killed and two rifles were recovered from them in a raid in Kapturo village in Bartabwa ward, Baringo County.
Baringo county police commander Julius Kiragu said a well-executed ambush by the security team on patrol on Sunday led to the elimination of the two gunmen.
The officers recovered two AK-47 rifles with 21 rounds of ammunition in the process.
According to police, a team intercepted the gunmen at Nginyang Bridge along Chemolingot Marigat road prompting a brief shootout that left the two dead.
No policeman was injured.
The gunmen had raided Baringo North and made away with an unknown number of cattle and were escorting them to their destination.
“The team engaged the bandits in a shootout and two bandits were injured. Two AK-47 rifles with 21 bullets were recovered from them,” Kiragu said.
However, the other bandits managed to escape with the cattle that they had stolen, police said.
The bodies of the deceased were taken to Kabaret Hospital Morgue for preservation and autopsy.
Officials said this came after another banditry attack in Ngaratuko, Saimo Soi ward, where a 19-year-old herder was shot and injured by bandits who made off with an unspecified number of livestock.
Baringo North MP Joseph Makilap called for swift action by security officers to address the menace.
This comes amid an ongoing campaign to address the menace.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki last week convened a strategy and operational review meeting with operation commanders and heads of various security agencies in the region.
Kindiki emphasized the need for further efforts to neutralize the persistent threats in Northern Rift Valley.
“The government has stepped up the effort to rid the country of violent bandit attacks. While significant strides have been made towards this end, much more needs to be done to completely neutralize the threats posed by bandits terrorizing the public in Northern Rift Valley,” said Kindiki.
He announced the reorganization of Operation Maliza Uhalifu, a multi-agency troop involving the Kenya Defence Forces and the National Police Service.
“Together with local security heads and field commanders, we have reviewed the progress of Operation Maliza Uhalifu," he said.
"To seal off operational gaps, we are forthwith re-organising the management, command and control of the National Police Reservists to supplement the capabilities of the National Police Service and Kenya Defence Forces in the operation.”
