Tension remains high in Samburu a day after deadly cattle raid
Tension is high in Baragoi following cattle raid that left six dead.
Tension remained high in Kilepoi village in Baragoi on Wednesday following Tuesday's deadly attack that left six people dead and eight with bullet wounds.
Heavy contingents of police officers from the Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU), Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU) and the National Police Reservists were seen patrolling the village.
Locals told the Nation that despite the police presence, they were living in fear of renewed attacks.
"For how long are we going to live like antelopes fearing for their lives? We want Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen to visit Samburu and tame these attacks," said resident John Lokapia.
"We are tired of living in fear. We want government action."
Eyewitnesses described a day of terror as the bandits stormed Kilepoi village in Baragoi and drove off an unknown number of livestock.
"We have been pleading with the government to redeploy specialised forces. I know that had the SOG been here, we would not be mourning today," said Jeremy Ekwawi.
But top security officials in the region were tight-lipped about the number of casualties in Tuesday's attack.
Samburu North Deputy County Commissioner Samuel Mwangi and the county police commander claimed that only six people died in Tuesday's attack.
"Six people were killed in the unfortunate attack. The eight who survived the attack are receiving treatment at the Samburu County Referral Hospital," said Mr Mwangi.
"We do not have any information on more casualties."
However, one of the victims who was admitted to Samburu County Referral Hospital revealed that more people may have been killed in the attack.
"More than 10 people died in the clash as the locals exchanged fire with the attackers. I was shot in the arm and l collapsed. They thought l was dead," said the victim, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The Nation reached out to Rift Valley Regional Commissioner Dr Abdi Hassan but our calls and text messages went unanswered.
Meanwhile, the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) on Wednesday called for an immediate end to the violence in Samburu County.
In a statement, the commission expressed deep concern over the ongoing clashes that have led to the loss of lives, displacement of families, and destruction of property.
Dr Samwel Kobia urged local leaders, security agencies and community members to work together to restore peace and stability in the region as he condemned the violence, describing it as a major setback to national unity and development efforts.
"We unequivocally condemn violent acts of urge all parties involved to cease hostilities immediately. Violence and conflicts have no place in our communities, and the continued strife only serves to deepen the division and suffering the county," Dr Kobia said in a statement.
The NCIC emphasised that it was working closely with the government, security forces, and other stakeholders to find lasting solutions to the tensions in Samburu.
As efforts to de-escalate the situation continue, the Commission reiterated its commitment to promoting harmony among Kenya's diverse communities.
The Commission also stressed the need to abandon harmful cultural practices such as cattle rustling and theft, which have long been a source of conflict in pastoralist communities. NCIC urged residents to explore sustainable alternative livelihoods that would promote long-term economic stability and reduce reliance on violent traditions.
"It is imperative to abandon harmful cultural practices like cattle rustling and theft, and instead explore sustainable, alternative means of livelihoods. Every community matters, and each has a right to engage in livestock keeping or any other form of farming without fear or any external interference or violence," the statement said.
The deadly cattle raid had raised fresh questions about the government’s handling of security in the volatile Samburu region.
The bloody attack, carried out by heavily armed cattle rustlers, comes just four months after President William Ruto pledged to strengthen security in the area—a promise that included the possible redeployment of the elite Special Operations Group (SOG).
However, there has been no confirmed action on this front, leaving residents to wonder whether lives could have been saved if the promise had been kept.
Speaking during the Maa Cultural Festival celebrations in Samburu in November last year, President Ruto assured locals that his government would prioritise the eradication of banditry in Samburu and parts of the North Rift region.
His remarks came in response to an upsurge in violent cattle rustling, particularly in Baragoi, a region notorious for its history of deadly clashes.
He promised to strengthen security by increasing the deployment of special forces, particularly the SOG, which has been instrumental in combating banditry.
The head of state was responding to pleas from Samburu leaders and locals who had called on the government to reinstate the SOG in Baragoi and other volatile areas following a resurgence of banditry and cattle rustling in the region.
"We will redeploy the SOG here so that we tame resurgent cases of banditry and cattle rustling. These [banditry and cattle rustling] acts do not have a place in our society. Let them move and find another place, not here," President Ruto said in November.
When they were deployed about two years ago, the Special Operations Group troops complemented the efforts of the Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU) and the Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU) in silencing the incessant banditry in Samburu North.
The SOG, a crack military unit, was praised for silencing guns in the Baragoi area, using rarely seen technology to detect, track and locate armed bandits.
Samburu leaders acknowledged that the special forces had done a remarkable job in restoring peace in Baragoi area, which had experienced instability for decades.
President Ruto claimed that the Kenya Kwanza government was determined to eradicate cattle rustling in Samburu and several parts of the Rift Valley, which have always been troubled.
President Ruto has consistently insisted that the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) will be permanently deployed in the banditry-prone North Rift areas. The Head of State said that apart from restoring normalcy in the volatile areas, the officers would also be involved in community projects to open up the region.
The presence of illegal guns in Samburu and other bandit-prone regions has been blamed for the ailing peace and loss of innocent lives over the years. The recurrent killings and cattle raids are an indication that many pastoralists in the region illegally possess sophisticated automatic rifles.
While in Samburu North, the SOG also disarmed criminals in possession of illegal weapons. More than 96 illegal weapons were recovered during the disarmament operation by the revered military unit.
Locals had enjoyed calm in Baragoi for more than two years for the first time in some three decades before the region slipped back into its dark history.
Locals had enjoyed more than two years of peace in Baragoi for the first time in some three decades before the region slipped back into its dark history.
Tuesday's attack has thrown a harsh spotlight on whether that promise has been kept. Officials have remained tight-lipped about why the elite unit was never redeployed to Baragoi, despite ongoing threats in the region.
Some locals believe that had the SOG been on the ground, the attack could have been deterred or mitigated.
"I think we are left to die. When the military unit was here [in Baragoi], peace prevailed for the first time. Where are the SOG that we were promised?" posed Simon Lempei on Wednesday.