The government has recovered over 600 illegal firearms since the start of a security operation across six disturbed counties of the North Rift.
Interior CS Kithure Kindiki made the revelation on Thursday while appearing before the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security.
Kindiki said the multi-agency security team comprising officers from the Police Service and Kenya Defence Forces tracked, arrested and prosecuted armed criminals and neutralised bandits who forcefully engaged them.
"During the Operation, 7,147 livestock, 646 illegal firearms and 285 rounds of ammunition have been recovered," Kindiki said.
He said the operation has been successful and resulted in a peaceful and relatively calm environment that has enabled the resumption of economic activities in the counties.
Reconstruction of schools that were vandalised during attacks is ongoing while schools that had been closed have reopened and learning resumed, he said.
"The operation has been instrumental in restoring normalcy, free movement of people, goods and services, and minimised counter and revenge attacks between communities," he said.
The government launched 'Operation Maliza Uhalifu' in February this year following a spike in criminal activities by armed bandits in Turkana, West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo, Laikipia and Samburu counties.
It followed statistics from the government that over 100 civilians and 16 police officers had been brutally murdered over a period of six months.
The criminals would lie in wait in gorges, valleys, ravines, escarpments and hills then ambush security personnel responding to attacks on civilians.
Kindiki said the security operation and patrols in the six counties will remain for the long haul to ensure criminals who are still at large do not regroup.
Towards this end, he said 2,057 National Police Reservists have been recruited out of which 1,354 have already been trained to supplement the multi-agency security team.
The remaining recruits, 703 in number, are pending training.
