Residents stage protests over insecurity in Samburu

Business operations were on Monday affected in Maralal Town, Samburu County over street protests by residents against increased cases of insecurity.

The residents led by Samburu West Member of Parliament Naisula Lesuuda were joined by all Maa governors- Narok, Kajiado and Samburu- who demanded action from the government to address the menace.

The leaders voiced their concerns over increased banditry attacks in the area saying it had affected development at large.

“In one voice the Maa community have spoken to say enough is enough,” said Lesuuda.

They asked President William Ruto to pay attention to the situation in the North Rift where people are reportedly dying daily over banditry attacks.

The group marched through the town addressing residents and calling for immediate action to address the menace.

This came a day after a gang shot and killed a member of the Samburu County Assembly in an ambush in the Soit Pus area of Samburu North.

This is the latest incident to happen in the area that is increasingly becoming inhabitable over insecurity, police said.

Police said Angata Nanyekie MCA Paul Leshimpiro was shot dead by suspected bandits at Soit Pus on Maralal-Baragoi Highway.

He was rushed to Morijo Dispensary where he succumbed to gunshot wounds, police said.

Samburu County police boss Thomas Ototo said the MCA was on his way home when he was ambushed by gunmen.

Leshimpiro had been among those fighting the menace in the area.

He was shot at close range by gunmen who were on the road.

The MCA was with his driver, who escaped unhurt. The body of the ward representative has been taken to the Samburu County Referral Hospital mortuary awaiting postmortem examination.

The killing of the MCA comes days after Angata Nanyekie was besieged by gunmen.

Police said in the past month, parts of Soit Pus, Morijo and Angata Nanyekie have been haunted by banditry following numerous attacks targeting villagers and even travellers in the region.

The area has been facing increased attacks, which paralysed operations at large.

It came days after five people were killed in separate bandit attacks in Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet, and Samburu counties.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has been leading the operations in the area vowing to end the menace.

Kindiki said cattle rustling in Northern Kenya has over the years become an organised criminal enterprise responsible for deaths, poverty and displacement.

“Its impacts are severe. It deprives pastoral communities of their economic mainstay and aggravates the conditions of poverty in the rangelands, fuelling communal grievances and revenge attacks,” he said.

The government has promised more resources in the war against banditry.

To dismantle the infrastructure of cattle rustlers and facilitators he said, the government is sustaining the war on banditry and its perpetrators, enablers, benefactors and beneficiaries by making banditry a painful venture, ensuring recovery of stolen livestock and rewarding facilitators of recoveries.