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The incident happened Tuesday afternoon as three herders were grazing his 85 heads of cattle.
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They said they were attacked by eight gunmen who killed one of the herders.
Two people including a herder were shot and killed in a banditry attack in a village in Kangeta, Meru.
The other victim was a suspected bandit who had three different identity cards in his pockets, police said.
The incident happened Tuesday afternoon as three herders were grazing his 85 heads of cattle.
They said they were attacked by eight gunmen who killed one of the herders.
The herders who were also armed hit back and killed one of the attackers as they raised the alarm for help.
Police said other herders rushed to their help and managed to recover six heads of cattle that had been stolen as the bandits escaped towards Isiolo.
Police who responded to the scene said they recovered three identity cards from the body of the bandit. A hunt on the attackers is ongoing, local police said. the bodies were moved to the mortuary.
The area is among those badly affected by cattle rustling amid calls on authorities to stop the menace.
Bandits frequently use the area for livestock, which has left many dead and injured.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki says efforts are being made to address the menace. They include the recruitment of more National Police Reservists and the opening of road networks in the affected areas.
The other affected areas include Baringo, Marsabit, West Pokot, Turkana, Elgeyo Marakwet and Isiolo Counties.
Multi-agency security teams are conducting operations in the areas mopping up illegal arms and opening up development projects as part of efforts to address the issue.
Kindiki visited parts of Baringo and West Pokot counties on Tuesday and Wednesday as part of efforts to address the menace.
He said the government is reviewing the recruitment and operation of the National Police Reservists.
Kindiki said the government will increase the number of NPRs in Kenya's troubled north to permanently eliminate the scourge.
"To seal off operational gaps, we are forthwith reorganising 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," he added.
He said the officers deployed would be on the ground forever.
“This is not a one-off deployment. Banditry and livestock theft will be a thing of the past,” he said.
He said NPR recruitment will be streamlined, with a clear operational command to ensure that Reservists are not drawn into local political issues.
He also denied allegations that the ongoing Maliza Uhalifu Joint National Police Service and Kenya Defence Forces operation is biased.
"The new operational and structural design of NPRs that kick off this month is to ensure that the weapons they are allocated are not misused and that the NPRs are accountable," he said.
"Their main work will be to help Kenya Police Service Officers and KDF soldiers seal off escape routes used by bandits coz they have a better understanding of the terrain, being locals."
He said the government would also increase security camps and roads into the region to bolster the fight against bandits who continue to inflict mayhem on innocent civilians.
Kindiki said despite recent sporadic attacks, the government has made significant progress in the fight against banditry since launching the operation to weed out the bandits 10 months ago.