Bandits in Laikipia are operating with impunity as all efforts employed by police so far have done little to curb the runaway insecurity.
Banditry is an agelong problem that has bedeviled northern Kenya for as long as pastoral communities have existed there.
Leaders from those communities are often involved in arming bandits from their tribes, trading in illegal guns and planning cattle raids in the region.
The latest Laikipia banditry attacks is aimed to displace farmer and sedentary communities who moved to the region.
The bandits are causing havoc with the intention of making residents flee their farms so that they get greater grazing fields for their animals.
Once the ‘settler’ communities are out of the picture, the pastoral communities will just go back to their usual tradition – cattle rustling.
The ongoing Laikipia banditry attacks have revealed police are clueless on stopping the runaway insecurity in the region.
First, the Rift Valley Regional Commissioner George Natembeya publicly admitted that the bandits are far more equipped than police as they are armed with M-16 rifles.
“The guns that these bandits are using are mighty. They are called M16. Most of them are only used by foreign troops who come to train in Kenya,” Natembeya told journalists.
“How such a powerful rifle got into their hands is a puzzle that should be investigated,” Natembeya added.
Second, the heavily armed bandits torched Mirigwiti Primary School in Laikipia West area, where they later opened fire on security forces for 15 minutes.
The bandits invaded and torched the school as Natembeya was launching a security operation at Ol Moran, this was only four kilometers from the school.
Third, the government intensified security and imposed a dusk to dawn curfew to flush out bandits in the troubled area but it has done little to stop the attacks.
Villagers from several parts of the Ol Moran area continued to flee the area fearing that the bandits may continue to attack them.
To date, about 50 houses have been set on fire in Kisii Ndogo village. Aside from carrying out the killings, the bandits have caused extensive damage to property and crops and have stolen thousands of cattle.
As of Tuesday September 7th, many residents were fleeing for safety in churches, police stations and other places they consider safe.
Fourth, police appear to be unwilling to directly confront the bandits in a shoutout. The bandits seems too daring as they appear to challenge the security officers who are carrying out an operation in the area.
A shocking incident however happened after the bandits managed to drive away herds of cattle as police officers watched.
Police appear to be intimidated by the bandits’ arsenal which include the sophisticated M16 rifles while the police are mostly armed with G3 and AK47 rifles.
Fifth, the Laikipia bandits seems to have established their safe zone where no police can dare go. The bandits were captured on camera waving a black flag high as they drove away animals while police watched from a distance.
A black flag is historically used as a symbol of anarchism. It is commonly used by pirates. Anarchism is a belief in abolition of societies.
Local leaders are now calling upon the government to deploy military in the area in order to restore peace and enforce order as it is now clear police have been outgunned by the bandits.
Related: Laikipia Banditry Attacks Explained: Why Pokot And Samburu Bandits Are Attacking Kikuyus And Kisiis
