Five months after the disarmament of National Police Reservists, guns have gone silent in the once-troubled corridor of North Rift that had earlier been turned into a haven of banditry by free-roaming armed individuals.
Apart from orders from the Interior ministry, commanders at the ground and their juniors need to be credited for their careful and wise tactics that have led to an end of cattle rustling that had affected the socio-economic development of this region.
In Lobokat, residents have gone back to their farms while herders can freely graze their livestock courtesy of officers stationed in Kainuk and Nariamao areas. Travellers who had incurred losses due to regular attacks along the Kitale-Lodwar Highway now have relief due to regular patrols by Anti-Stock Theft Unit and Rapid Development Unit officers.
Insecurity had denied the region a chance of getting government projects and also chased away potential investors from the non-governmental organisations. With guns going silent, the region stands to benefit a lot.
As normalcy resumes, the government should reward the officers for engaging bandits and ending cattle rustling. It should also look into ways of cementing peace in the area by sealing any loopholes that have in the past provided an option for bandits to access the illegal firearms.
While Turkana South can relatively breathe a sigh of relief, the Interior ministry should establish a station at Kasarani area in Turkana East and create a police post a Lomelo to curb banditry. Investing in security would help delete the banditry-prone tag that has come become synonymous with the region.
In Kapedo, schools have to be fenced with a perimeter wall for the security of children.
Turkana
