RUMURUTI, Kenya — Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has said the government will intensify security operations in Laikipia and other banditry-prone regions to secure lasting peace and unlock development.
Murkomen spoke on Tuesday during the commissioning of the Laikipia County Police Headquarters in Rumuruti, an infrastructure project built through the Laikipia West NG-CDF and officially opened by President William Ruto, accompanied by Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and local leaders.
The Interior CS said the new police headquarters will strengthen command, coordination, and response in a region that has long suffered from cattle rustling, bandit attacks, and insecurity.
“We will ensure that Laikipia and other areas that have historically faced the threat of banditry enjoy lasting peace and stability,” Murkomen said.
He praised Members of Parliament for using NG-CDF resources to support the government’s security modernisation agenda by investing in police infrastructure, noting that improved facilities are critical in sustaining recent security gains.
Murkomen also renewed a call for residents still holding illegal firearms to surrender them voluntarily, warning that security operations will continue to be intensified to flush out armed criminals.
“We call upon those still in possession of illegal firearms to take our olive branch and surrender them voluntarily. We will continue to intensify our security operations and open up the region for development,” he said.
The CS added that the government is also scaling up its fight against alcohol and drug abuse, which he described as a serious socioeconomic threat that fuels insecurity, crime, and poverty.
Earlier in the day, President Ruto commissioned the Rumuruti Modern Market, a Sh 260 million facility with a capacity of 750 traders.
The market is one of 14 modern markets being built by the government in Laikipia County as part of its economic empowerment and urban renewal programme.
The dual commissioning of the police headquarters and the market underscored the government’s approach of pairing security with development to stabilise historically volatile regions and attract investment.
