Three police officers are among eight people who have been killed in the past month in Laikipia West insecurity.
Four civilians and two officers are nursing injuries.
Addressing the press on the state of Laikipia County security, Rift Valley Regional Commissioner George Natembeya said the deaths happened before the security operation began yesterday.
“Four people have lost their lives, among those, three are police officers. It happened before security operation began. We have enough security where residents live,” stated Natembeya.
“Watu wanane wamepoteza maisha, na watatu ni maofisaa wa usalama. Hii ilifanyika kabla ya operation kuanza.”
Natembeya raised concerns over the supply of weapons to morans and suspected bandits and the creeping ‘Moranism culture’ in the area, claiming that they are being facilitated.
He also noted that the constant fighting is now planned, and no longer about cattle rustling but land ownership rows.
“The bandits in Laikipia don’t have sophisticated weapons than our police officers. We will ensure we collect proper evidence to take them to court,” he said.
He warned politicians to keep off Laikipia insisting that this is not the time for them to politic.
He accused area leaders of financing the youth causing unrest in the region by providing them with food and guns, as they continue with their raids.
“We have received reports that some of the owners of the livestock are saying they remove them from the ranches and bring 500 Morans to fight with the security officers. This means that these are planned attacks to ensure the area has no peace,” Natembeya said.
So far, Former Laikipia North Member of Parliament Mathew Lempurkel and Tiaty MP William Kamket have been arrested over unrest in Laikipia County.
Lempurkel was arrested from his home in Rongai, Kajiado County while Kamket was arrested at his Kositei home in Tiaty, Baringo County by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
The National Security Council met and declared Laikipia a disturbed and a security operation area.
According to National Police Spokesperson Bruno Shioso, the security operation has led to the exit of illegal herders from the Laikipia Nature Conservancy.
H reports of On the arson attack on Merigwiti Primary school, he refuted reports widely reported by the media, saying that the matter is being investigated.
The fire slightly damaged the roof of the store but no injury was recorded.