At least five people have lost their lives after a deadly cattle rustling incident in Baragoi in Samburu North on Tuesday, March 11.
The attack saw armed bandits storm the Kawap area in Samburu North, resulting in the theft of 700 livestock. Authorities have since launched a manhunt for the culprits.
North Deputy County Commissioner Samwel Mwangi confirmed the incident, adding that police managed to recover 150 livestock as they continue to pursue the bandits and retrieve the remaining animals.
The injured were rushed to the Baragoi County referral hospital, where they are undergoing treatment.
The Baragoi area is considered one of the hottest spots for banditry in the country, with the latest incident coming just weeks after a similar wave of violence left a police officer dead.
In January 2025, police confirmed gunmen shot and injured two herders in a village after a raid in the Mparasian area. The gunmen then made away with an unknown number of cattle.
Weeks later, on February 10, bandits staged a dramatic prison break after shooting a police officer before aiding the escape of eight remandees. The incident happened along the volatile Maralal-Baragoi border, which is infamous for incidents of banditry and gun violence.
The latest wave of violence comes on the heels of similar clashes along the Kisii-Transmara border, which have left dozens injured and claimed three lives.
Like in Baragoi, the violence, which involved dozens of warring factions, stemmed from recurring livestock disputes, with tensions spilling over on Sunday, March 9, after a group crossed to a neighbouring village to reclaim livestock that was allegedly stolen.
The government, through the Interior Ministry, has been embroiled in an intense battle to mitigate banditry, especially in volatile areas, with one of the biggest challenges being the disarming of civilians.
Notably, the latest massacre from banditry came just days after Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen suggested the vice was down by 70 per cent thanks to the government's deployment of modern equipment to security agencies.
In Kerio Valley, authorities have resorted to a disarmament exercise to mitigate cases of banditry, with Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat issuing an order to individuals in possession of illegal firearms in Tot, Kerio Valley, to surrender them to authorities.
