President William Ruto has ordered security agencies to firmly deal with the perpetrators of the Turkana massacre that left 11 people, including police officers dead.
In a statement issued on Sunday, September 25, the president assured the residents that cattle rustling would be a thing of the past in his administration.
Ruto gave the directive after receiving a comprehensive report on the attack that claimed the lives of eight police officers, a chief and two civilians.
"After receiving a comprehensive report on the Turkana/Pokot incident that led to 10 security/administration officers losing their lives, I have instructed security agencies to deal firmly, decisively and conclusively with those involved. Cattle rustling will stop na sio tafadhali," Ruto stated.
Following Ruto's directive, the National Police Service - NPS spokesperson Bruno Shioso affirmed that a multi-agency security operation was launched to flush out the bandits and restore normalcy in the region.
"Following an attack against the locals of Kakiteitei Village in Turkana East Sub County where lives were lost and livestock stolen by bandits, a multi-agency security operation has today been launched in the area to arrest the perpetrators, recover the stolen animals and firearms, and return normalcy to the area," he noted.
Shioso condemned the incident and affirmed that such acts ought to be brought to an end at all costs. The NPS also appealed to the public to provide any information that would lead to the arrest of the culprits.
"Such acts of criminality and impunity shall not be tolerated and must be brought to an end at all cost. As such, bandits terrorizing innocent people have been put on notice."
"NPS appeals to the public to cooperate with this noble effort to return security to the area by volunteering information that may lead to arrest of the criminals and recovery of stolen animals," Shioso pointed out.
Former Presidential contender Ekuru Aukot had noted that his sister was one of the victims in the attack. While calling for action from Ruto's administration, the politician noted that his sister was a mother of two children.
"Dear President William Ruto and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, I just lost my sister Mary Kanyaman, a mother of little kids, to Pokot bandits in Napeitom.
"We have also lost the area chief and eight other police officers. We will bury them, but fix the insecurity issue in Turkana East," he stated.
During the presidential debate, Ruto had alleged that the insecurity issue was a result of his rivals punishing him for his peace-finding missions. He labelled the incident as a political witchhunt and used it as a ploy by his detractors to curtail his presidential bid at the time.
