The National Police Service Commission (NPSC) has called for a lasting solution to rampant banditry days after four police officers were attacked and killed along the Kitale-Lodwar Highway.
In a statement on Saturday, February 11, Eliud Kinuthia, the NPSC Chairperson, noted with concern that the vice had led to a high rate of loss of employees within within Kerio Valley area.
He, therefore, called upon political and community leaders to find a solution to curb the menace.
The NPSC chair also urged the insurance service to provide the deceased officers with a befitting send-off and compensate their families.
"The Commission is concerned with the high rate of losing employees in the Kerio Valley area and calls upon political and community leaders to look for a lasting solution.
"The Commission urges the insurance service provider to fast-track compensation and provide a proper send-off for the departed officers," Kinuthia stated.
In addition, political leaders drawn from the Rift Valley region also heaped pressure on President William Ruto to deploy the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) to the bandit-prone areas.
Transport CS Kipchumba Murkomen stated that concerted efforts ought to be put into the complete disarmament of all communities.
“The best solution is full disarmament, with the ultimate support from each of us, to make sure that we get rid of all guns and we support Prof. Kithure Kindiki who is now sleeping in the bush dealing with banditry. It is time we put concerted efforts to make sure that the military and the police hold hands together to get all illegal guns from people,” Murkomen stated.
His sentiments were echoed by Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot who pointed out that guns and weapons should only be left to security officers.
"We want total disarmament so that guns to only be handled by law enforcement officers. Anybody else ought to return the firearms or else face the law," Cheruiyot noted.
The situation in Kerio Valley keeps deteriorating as 27 people including 3 police officers have been killed by bandits in the past 40 days.
On Friday night, February 10, over 300 suspected armed bandits in the Pokot region ambushed and killed 3 officers who were on patrol.
After the incident, the area residents called on the authorities to ruthlessly deal with the bandits in the affected regions, especially in Northern Kenya.
