The Kenyan government has launched a second command center for Operation Maliza Uhalifu (OMU) in Kirimon, Laikipia County, aiming to tackle the persistent banditry that has destabilised the Kerio Valley region for decades.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen spearheaded the inauguration, but as the region grapples with deep-rooted insecurity, many are questioning whether this new initiative can finally bring lasting peace.
Banditry in the Kerio Valley, a semi-arid region spanning counties like Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo, West Pokot, and parts of Laikipia and Samburu, has long been a complex issue tied to historical, cultural, and economic factors.
The area, home to pastoralist communities such as the Pokot, Turkana, and Marakwet, has seen recurring conflicts often driven by cattle rustling—a practice that, while rooted in tradition, has evolved into a violent criminal enterprise.
Armed bandits frequently target livestock, a primary source of wealth for these communities, leading to deadly clashes that have claimed numerous lives, displaced families, and disrupted livelihoods.
A 2024 study by Rongo University researchers, published in the International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, notes that banditry in the Kerio Valley has had a profound impact on peace and security, with successive governments struggling to address the plight of affected communities despite the devastating effects of attacks.
The Mukogodo Forest in Laikipia, a focal point of the new operation, exemplifies the scale of the challenge. Over the past six years, the forest has transformed from a revered natural resource into a bandit stronghold, with criminals using its dense cover to launch attacks on neighboring communities, steal livestock, and retreat to safety.
Migrating herders have taken control of a third of the forest, setting up manyattas and grazing lands while using the area as a base for criminal activities. The insecurity has not only affected Laikipia but also spilled over into adjacent counties, exacerbating tensions in the broader North Rift region.
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The new Kirimon command center will oversee security operations in Samburu, Laikipia, and parts of Baringo, Marsabit, Meru, and Isiolo counties, working alongside the existing Chemolingot base in Baringo County, which covers Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet, West Pokot, and Turkana counties. Both centers operate under a unified command structure to streamline efforts.
“Two years on, Operation Maliza Uhalifu has been successful in bringing peace to most parts of Kerio Valley, save for a few trouble spots,” Murkomen said at the launch, pointing to the operation’s progress since its start in 2023.
He emphasised a renewed focus on flushing out criminals from hideouts like the Mukogodo Forest, stating, “With immediate effect, we will flush out criminals who have turned the Mukogodo Forest into a center for plotting criminal activities in the area.”
Targeted operations in other disturbed areas are also planned, with the government vowing to leave “no room for criminals to inflict terror on any community or to deprive them of their property.”
Murkomen was joined by senior security officials, including Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, Deputy Inspector General of the Kenya Police Service Eliud Lagat, Rift Valley Regional Commissioner Dr. Abdi Hassan, and commanders from the affected counties.
At the Kirimon National Youth Service training camp, Murkomen issued a stern warning to politicians fuelling insecurity, saying, “They will face the full force of the law,” and stressed that National Police Reservists (NPRs) and rangers should not be misused as personal militias.
Despite the government’s efforts, skepticism abounds. A community elder from Laikipia, speaking anonymously due to safety concerns, expressed cautious hope: “We have suffered for too long because of these bandits. If this operation can finally bring peace, we will be grateful.”
The challenges in the Kerio Valley are compounded by systemic issues, including limited media coverage and government response, as highlighted in the Rongo University study.
The country often overlooks the social impacts of banditry, focusing instead on the violence, while state interventions have historically been reactive rather than preventive. The joint operation between the National Police Service (NPS) and the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) now faces the daunting task of addressing these deep-seated issues in a region where banditry is not just a security problem but a socio-economic one.
As Operation Maliza Uhalifu intensifies, the success of the Kirimon command center will be a critical test. For the pastoralist communities of the Kerio Valley, the stakes are high—peace could pave the way for development and prosperity, but failure risks perpetuating a cycle of violence that has already caused immense suffering.
Whether this latest initiative can address the root causes of banditry and deliver on its promise remains to be seen.
