Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has affirmed that silencing the guns in the troubled North Rift Counties will not be a walk in the park.
Kindiki said on Monday that the security troops deployed to the region to deal with bandits will be there for the long haul.
"We are in the North as the security apparatus of Kenya to stay, we are not coming back, we are here to stay for good," Kindiki said.
"The security presence we have put in the last few days, and we are even considering upscaling it, will not be withdrawn."
Admitting that the banditry trigger issues could be historical, Kindiki said such a deep-rooted challenge will not be finished in a few days.
“We are under no illusion that this is a small matter. The silencing of the guns itself is not a small matter because there has been a proliferation of illicit arms and small weapons in that region for approximately 9 years," he said during an interview with NTV.
"The circumstances that have bred the proliferation still exist. We expect it to be complex to try and deal with the gun culture but we have determined that we must, in the shortest time possible run over those criminals and make sure they stop killing people."
Kindiki said he will not withdraw the security forces deployed to the North Rift Counties until the situation is contained.
"Our plan is to first and foremost silence the guns immediately we must work to stop the bloodbath and the reckless loss of lives that we have experienced in parts of these five counties," he said.
"We are resolute, focused and determined to ensure that we, first of all, stop the bloodshed."
A joint operation comprising the Kenya Defence Forces and police is combing through the counties of Turkana, Baringo, West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet, Laikipia and Samburu to flash out bandits.
The bandits have been unleashing terror on residents in the regions, maiming security personnel, killing locals and stealing cattle.