Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has clarified why the government is yet to confirm the exact number of people killed during the February Todonyang attack in Turkana County.
Murkomen stated that the verification process is still ongoing, citing numerous challenges in confirming fatalities.
Addressing the press on Wednesday in Lodwar, Murkomen said some of the victims are suspected to have drowned in Lake Turkana during the cross-border attack by suspected militia from the neighbouring Ethiopia.
“There is still pending verification of the exact numbers, partly because people suspected to have lost their lives disappeared into the lake. Without recovering the bodies, it is very difficult to state with certainty how many people died,” said Murkomen.
He noted that while Missing Persons Reports suggest a higher toll, legal and procedural requirements prevent authorities from officially declaring deaths without proper evidence.
“You can only say they are missing. You cannot legally declare them dead unless there is confirmation,” he stated.
“Some reports even suggest a few people could be alive across the border in Ethiopia, although that remains unverified.”
Murkomen also highlighted the difficulty in accounting for all individuals since many of those affected did not necessarily come from Todonyang.
“Some came from as far as Kitale, Lodwar, and Kipish. That is part of the reason there is disparity in the figures.”
He, however, assured the residents of his commitment to full accountability and urged community cooperation.
“Tunataka kusaidiana na wananchi kule Todonyang watupatie idadi ya wale tunajua ukweli walikuwa wanafanya fishing hapo na walipatana kwa hiyo janga ya mapigano,” he said.
The CS also acknowledged local demands for enhanced security but cited budgetary constraints.
Even so, he proposed the deployment of a multi-agency security team to the area, which he described as a unique and strategic location.
“Todonyang is a key entry point with active cross-border commerce, fishing, and livestock farming. But it also suffers from boundary encroachment due to poor security presence. This is an issue we must address conclusively,” Murkomen said.
The attack happened on February 22, 2025.
A group of Kenyan fishermen were on a routine fishing mission in Lake Turkana when they came under attack from suspected Dassanech militia from Ethiopia.
Murkomen is in the county for the 15th edition of the Jukwaa la Usalama county tours.
He was scheduled to hold a town hall meeting with community leaders, NGAOs, security personnel and elected leaders at the Ekales Cultural Centre after a security briefing.
