Murkomen links banditry, cattle rustling to marginalisation

Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen and Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja appear before the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security to answer queries on the security situation in Samburu County at Parliament Buildings on October 7, 2026/ DOUGLAS OKIDDY

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has identified marginalisation and underdevelopment as the main underlying contributors to banditry and cattle rustling in parts of northern Kenya.

Murkomen said the government was addressing the long-standing development challenges while strengthening security operations to contain the crimes.

“The single most important underlying contributor to banditry and cattle rustling is marginalisation and the attendant underdevelopment,” Murkomen said.

He spoke on Wednesday, when he appeared before the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security at Parliament Buildings alongside Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja and Director of Criminal Investigations Mohamed Amin.

The committee was considering the security situation in Samburu, Meru and Isiolo counties.

Murkomen said the challenge of banditry and cattle rustling had largely been contained over the past four years, although some areas continued to experience sporadic incidents.

Samburu residents and leaders outside Parliament Buildings for a session where Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen, Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja and DCI Mohamed Amin appeared before the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Administration and Internal Security to answer queries on the security situation in Samburu County on October 7, 2026. / DOUGLAS OKIDDY

“Even though the challenge has largely been contained in the past four years, some regions continue to experience sporadic banditry and cattle rustling,” he said.

He said the government had initiated development projects in the affected counties to address challenges linked to inadequate infrastructure and access to essential services.

The projects target roads, water, education, health and communication infrastructure, which Murkomen said were part of efforts to address the conditions contributing to insecurity.

At the same time, he said security agencies were intensifying intelligence-led operations to arrest those involved in banditry and cattle rustling.

“In the meantime, we are intensifying intelligence-led operations to recover stolen animals, mop up illegal firearms and bring perpetrators of the crimes to book,” Murkomen said.

The CS said the government was also increasing security presence in affected areas through the deployment of National Police Reservists and construction of additional security installations.

He said the government was further strengthening peacebuilding initiatives as part of efforts to address insecurity.

Murkomen said the government’s response was therefore being pursued through both development and security interventions.

He said improving infrastructure and access to basic services would help address the long-standing marginalisation of affected regions, while security operations would target the immediate threats posed by armed criminals and livestock theft.