Govt issues 8-hour ultimatum to surrender illegal firearms in Mukogodo Forest
By Wanjira Wachira, February 3, 2026Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has announced that the government will launch a security operation in Mukogodo Forest, Laikipia County, to flush out armed bandits and recover stolen livestock believed to have been driven into the forest.
Speaking in the Kurum area of Laikipia North on Tuesday, February 3, 2026, Murkomen said the operation would commence within eight hours, following the expiry of a final ultimatum for residents in possession of illegal firearms to surrender them voluntarily.
“All these areas have bandits who are disturbing the peace in our area, and for many days we have pleaded with them to voluntarily surrender the rifles they have. They have not heeded our request,” Murkomen said.
“Today we have come to tell them that within the next eight hours, we will begin an operation to disarm them. Mukogodo Forest is a public entity, and therefore, conducting an operation will not be seen as an attack on residents. If you are within the Mukogodo area and in possession of a firearm, you have the next eight hours to surrender it to the security agencies, because what will follow is a forceful disarmament,” he added.
The Interior CS also warned individuals currently residing within the forest to vacate immediately to avoid being affected by the operation.
Speaking during the same event, Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja assured residents that the planned operation would be carried out with precision and professionalism, saying security agencies were committed to restoring lasting peace in the area.
Mukogodo Forest has long been identified as a hideout for armed bandits, with authorities saying repeated attacks and livestock thefts have disrupted livelihoods in parts of Laikipia North. Security agencies say the operation is aimed at ending the cycle of violence and allowing residents to resume their normal lives once stability is restored.