Murkomen moves to bolster security amid banditry in Meru
By Faith Lagat, March 23, 2026Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has announced robust measures to strengthen security in Meru County’s Northern Grazing Zone amid a sharp surge in cattle rustling and banditry incidents.
Speaking during a security meeting at Mbataru RDU Camp in Tigania East Sub-County on March 23, 2026, Murkomen attributed the recent escalation to the displacement of armed criminals from previously volatile pastoralist counties where government operations have restored relative calm.
He noted that successful mop-up exercises targeting illegal firearms and criminal networks in Elgeyo-Marakwet, Baringo, West Pokot, Turkana, and Isiolo have pushed bandits toward more peaceful areas like northern Meru.
“This partly explains the surge in cattle rustling in the Northern Grazing Zone of Meru County in the past few days,” Murkomen stated.
The meeting was attended by Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, regional commissioners, county commissioners from Meru and Isiolo, governors Isaac Mutuma (Meru) and Abdi Hassan Guyo (Isiolo), local MPs including Mpuru Aburi (Tigania East), and other senior officials.
Immediate measures to protect communities
Key immediate actions include the deployment of 400 additional police officers to bolster existing forces on the ground. The government will also launch a targeted operation to recover illegal firearms across Samburu, Laikipia, Isiolo, and Meru counties.
“We shall also commence an operation to mop up illegal firearms in Samburu, Laikipia, Isiolo and Meru counties. We are also intensifying efforts to recover stolen livestock and reorganizing the NPRs in Meru and Isiolo counties to better protect the livestock.”
Efforts to recover stolen livestock are being intensified, alongside the reorganisation of National Police Reservists (NPRs) in Meru and Isiolo to enhance community-level protection of herds.
The measures come against a backdrop of cross-border small arms proliferation fueling the violence, with recent attacks causing significant loss of life and livestock over the past two weeks.
Government steps up security response
The announcement comes amid ongoing security concerns in Meru North. Deputy President Kithure Kindiki emphasised the government’s commitment to tackling banditry, stating that the response is driven by the constitutional duty to protect citizens and property.
“The Government has mobilised heavily to roll back the spike in bandit attacks in the Northern part of Meru County where livestock robbers have caused deaths and terrorized the people in several attacks this week,” he declared.
He reiterated that current measures aim to restore peace and prevent further loss of life and livestock.