The Meru parliamentary caucus has called out President William Ruto’s administration over failure to tame perennial banditry that on Monday left three police reservists dead.
Led by the caucus chairman and Buuri MP Mugambi Rindikiri, the legislators accused the government of empty promises and hit out at Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen for inaction.
Addressing the media in Nairobi, the MPs are now calling for a security operation to recover more than 6,000 cattle stolen in the last three years.
On Monday evening, about 30 heavily armed bandits attacked Mea area in Igembe North killed three police reservists and stole three firearms and 180 bullets in a botched cattle raid.
Meru County Commissioner Jacob Ouma said security officers managed to recover all stolen animals in the 6pm attack.
The brazen attack near Mea police post has caused fear in the northern grazing zone which supports more than 20,000 cattle.
“We have lost too many people and so far, seven government firearms have been stolen by the bandits. Why can’t the operation order in Samburu, Isiolo and Meru be gazetted?” Julius Mbogori posed.
According to Meru Police Commander Ambrose Oloo, a contingent of police officers is pursuing the attackers in a bid to recover the stolen firearms.
Oloo said the three reservists were shot dead while going to provide reinforcement to their colleagues who had been engaged in a gun battle with the bandits.
Rindikiri hit out at the Interior CS accusing him of enjoying his air-conditioned offices in Nairobi at the expense of the safety of Kenyans.
“The Interior CS has been in office and never visited the people of Meru. We will no longer attend boardroom meetings by security agents. We want to see action on the ground,” he said.
Igembe North MP Julius Taitumu called for compensation of affected herders and an operation to recover the stolen animals.
“We have also been calling for the opening of security roads to no avail. The deaths and theft are too many. We are tired of being told ‘we are doing something’. This ‘something’ should be demystified to the people of Meru,” Taitumu said.
Mpuru Aburi said they were tired of waiting for resolution of insecurity and cattle theft in Meru North.
“By speaking out, we are not against the government. The president must know that those he has assigned the security docket have failed. CS Murkomen should shape up or ship out,” Aburi said.
Igembe Central MP Dan Kiili expressed concern that the unending banditry appears like a plot to sabotage the community economically.
“We are demanding recovery of all animals stolen and taken to neighboring counties. The government knows where all the animals stolen for the last three years are. Why can’t they bring them back?” Kiili posed.
Nominated MP Dorothy Ikiara said pledges made by the president to deal with banditry decisively were not being fulfilled.
Meru Governor Isaac Mutuma, who paid a courtesy call to Police Inspector General Douglas Kanja on Tuesday morning, condemned the killing of the police reservists and called for decisive action.
“We can’t sit pretty when our people are being killed by bandits like flies. It is unfortunate three NPR officers were brutally killed and their guns taken away by criminals…Their sacrifice will not be in vain,” Governor Mutuma said.
He said the vetting of County Armed Rangers was underway to pave way for their deployment in the grazing areas to enhance security response.
“I will also initiate dialogue with the governors of Samburu, Turkana, and Isiolo so that we can come up with long-term measures to combat these crimes…” Mutuma stated.
Speaking in Meru recently, the Interior Cabinet Secretary said a joint security operation involving the Kenya Defence Forces would be set up targeting bandits operating in Laikipia North, Samburu East, Isiolo and Meru.
“I have met all security chiefs from this region and we agreed on setting up an operation base in Kirimon Laikipia to resolve the problem in Mukogondo forest. The bandits have been hiding in this forest. The KDF will lead the operation to flush out the bandits terrorising this area,” Murkomen said.
He said the government is utilising all modern techniques and tactics available to fight cattle rustling and banditry.
In May 2023, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, who was the then interior minister declared a security operation along the Meru-Isiolo border to tame rising cattle rustling.
The security operation, which was to be similar to the ‘Operation Maliza Uhalifu’ in the North Rift, never happened.
