President William Ruto has announced plans to redeploy the elite Special Operations Group (SOG) to Baragoi, Samburu North, to lead a fresh crackdown on illegal firearms. This follows renewed banditry attacks and cattle rustling incidents.
The Head of State said his administration will restore lasting peace and security in the troubled area, which has witnessed armed conflicts and bloodshed for decades.
During his two-day tour to Samburu, President Ruto said the special unit, known for its successful past operations in the region, will be reactivated to spearhead a coordinated disarmament campaign.
“We cannot continue to lose innocent lives to criminal elements. The government will not relent until every illegal gun is surrendered and peace is restored in Baragoi and across northern Kenya,” Dr Ruto declared.
Baragoi is infamous due to frequent deadly clashes due to cattle theft among pastoralist communities. In recent weeks, reports indicate renewed livestock raids and ambushes in Suyian areas and along the Baragoi–Tuum and Baragoi–South Horr corridors.
Dr Ruto called on illegal gun holders to surrender them, warning that the government would not allow the use of guns to perpetrate violence in the region. He said that security agencies had already profiled individuals who are in possession of illegal guns and will move to confiscate them if they are not surrendered voluntarily.
“If you are here and you know a friend who has a gun, we will come for it. So bring it early,” the President said, adding that illegal arms are the genesis of bloodshed in Baragoi.
Dr Ruto noted that gun violence in the region had left a trail of destruction, leaving widows and orphans behind.
When they were deployed two years ago, the specialised forces were drawn from the Special Operations Group in the military to compliment the efforts of the Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU) and Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU), and put a stop to the constant banditry in Samburu North.
Samburu Governor Lati Lelelit acknowledged that the specialised forces had done a remarkable job in restoring calm in Baragoi, an area that has experienced instability for decades.
President Ruto has continuously said that the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) would be permanently stationed in banditry-prone areas in the North Rift. The Head of State said that apart from restoring normalcy in the volatile areas, the officers will also take part in community projects to open up the region.
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