• Kindiki clls for cooperation from all affected to address the menace.
• There are fears the menace will persist in the coming days and lead to more deaths and stealing of animals.
Four people were on Saturday killed and animals stolen in separate banditry attacks in Isiolo and Baringo counties.
This comes amid ongoing operations in the areas where weapons have been recovered.
Police say some of the stolen animals have been recovered and returned to the owners.
The first attack happened in Kachuru on the Isiolo-Merti road where a man and his wife were killed and up to 600 livestock stolen, police said.
Isiolo Governor Ibrahim Abdi said they have planned a series of meetings to address the menace.
“We hope to get a solution to this issue for peaceful coexistence. We are optimistic with the measures in place, we will address it,” he said as he mourned those killed.
In Makutani, Baringo county, two men were killed after gunmen ambushed them in Ngasatok, Rugus location, police said.
The attack raised fears of more retaliations from the affected community as police rushed to the scene to calm the situation.
The area is under an operation involving the military and multi-agency teams.
The gangs have been breaching the operation and striking at will for animals.
In the North Rift region the government has intensified efforts to restore peace, recovering dozens of firearms.
Despite a heavy police presence in the marked areas, armed bandits have continued to attack, kill and rob residents before retreating to caves and forests from where they monitor the public and security personnel as they plan further attacks.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki was in Baringo, Laikipia and Samburu two weeks ago as part of efforts to heighten the war on the gunmen.
He said politics, ethnicity, culture, religion or other affiliations must be separated from the fight against the criminal atrocities perpetrated against the people of Kenya through the terror of bandits.
“The government is determined to permanently destroy the intricate infrastructure of banditry by going for its benefactors, beneficiaries, accessories, planners and executors,” Kindiki said.
He said political and other leaders must refrain from politicising security matters or trying to meddle with security operations to allow the organs and agencies wage a decisive, ruthless and conclusive war against the impunity and terror of banditry.
The CS said multi-agency security officers deployed in the six Rift Valley counties will remain on the ground for the long haul, until the banditry menace is eradicated.
He urged for cooperation from all affected as part of efforts to address the menace.
There are fears the menace will persist in the coming days and lead to more deaths and stealing of animals.
The affected counties include Turkana, West Pokot, Baringo, Laikipia, Marsabit and Samburu. Isiolo is also partially affected by the issue.