ELGEYO MARAKWET, Kenya — At least 232 illegal firearms and nearly 1,600 rounds of ammunition have been surrendered in Elgeyo Marakwet County in just one week, marking a major breakthrough in the government’s ongoing campaign to disarm civilians in banditry-prone regions.
Police said the haul, which included a Federal Riot Gun and mostly AK-47 rifles, was handed in under a nationwide amnesty announced earlier this month. The most recent batch, surrendered on Tuesday, September 23, consisted of 15 rifles.
Authorities hailed the development as a sign of growing trust between communities and security agencies.
“The government has taken many measures to ensure there is security in the Kerio Valley. That is why even locals are surrendering their weapons,” said Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo.
Locals who gave up their guns admitted they had acquired them to protect themselves from frequent cattle raids and bandit attacks in the Kerio Valley.
The surrendered weapons have been taken for ballistic testing as part of ongoing investigations.
KERIO VALLEY CHOOSES PEACE: 27 ILLEGAL GUNS SURRENDEREDPolice in Tot, Elgeyo Marakwet County, yesterday received twenty-seven illegal firearms, including AK-47 and G3 rifles, as part of an ongoing voluntary disarmament exercise.The firearms were surrendered through the
Security Crackdown and Development Agenda
The disarmament campaign is part of Operation Maliza Uhalifu, a multi-agency effort targeting cattle rustling and armed banditry across Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo, West Pokot, Turkana, Samburu, Marsabit, Meru, and Isiolo counties.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said the government is pursuing a dual approach: boosting security while investing in long-term development.
“We are coming to dismantle not only the criminals themselves but also to bring down the entire chain that has been the cattle and livestock rustling industry,” Murkomen said.
He announced fresh vetting of National Police Reservists (NPRs) and a policy shift that will place the reservists under the direct command of local police station chiefs to enhance accountability.
At the same time, Murkomen outlined plans to supply subsidized farm inputs and agricultural extension services to revive farming as a sustainable alternative to dependence on livestock — a move he said would help break the cycle of banditry.
Cost of Banditry
For decades, bandit attacks have devastated communities in the Kerio Valley and beyond, leaving hundreds dead and thousands displaced.
Stolen livestock is often driven into urban markets, where it is slaughtered and sold, fueling what security officials describe as a “criminal industry.”
The government hopes that the amnesty, coupled with development initiatives and tighter policing, will gradually weaken the grip of banditry on Kenya’s northern frontier.
