SAMBURU, Kenya — Fear and tension are rising in parts of Samburu County after suspected bandits launched back-to-back attacks in which eight people were killed and hundreds of cattle and goats were stolen.
The latest attacks targeted Lolmolog and Morijo villages in Suguta Valley, coming less than 24 hours after another raid in Lolmolog left two people dead.
According to reports, the violence unfolded on Saturday evening after the earlier Friday attack. During the assault in Lolmolog, security officers reportedly killed three suspected bandits, while about 200 cattle were recovered.
However, the attackers managed to escape with another 150 cattle. In neighbouring Morijo, an estimated 200 goats were stolen, taking the livestock losses from the two attacks to more than 350 animals.
The violence has renewed questions about the effectiveness of security deployments in the area.
Samburu Governor Lati Lelelit, who visited affected families, questioned how the attackers were able to move past a nearby security camp before reaching the villages.
He called for urgent deployment of security forces to areas including Malaso Valley, Leparmarai and Chotorar, which local authorities have identified as suspected hideouts for bandits.
Residents are also demanding stronger security measures.
Joseph Lengopito, a local resident, called for the deployment and arming of National Police Reservists, arguing that a stronger community security presence could help prevent further attacks.
Drought is making communities more vulnerable
Residents say the worsening drought is contributing to the insecurity.
With water and pasture becoming scarce, herders are being forced to move their livestock over longer distances in search of grazing areas and water. That movement, residents say, is exposing livestock owners and their animals to armed attacks.
The crisis has therefore become more than a security problem. For pastoral communities, livestock represent a major source of food, income and wealth, meaning a single raid can wipe out years of accumulated assets.
Elijah Lolkingeti, a National Police Reservist, said he lost a relative during the latest attack.
Lolmolog Assistant Chief Philip Lodumgokiok has urged Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen to arm newly recruited police reservists. He also called for improved roads, saying poor infrastructure makes it difficult for security officers to pursue attackers once raids occur.
A wider security challenge
The latest violence highlights the continuing difficulty of containing banditry in parts of northern Kenya, where insecurity is often intertwined with livestock theft, competition over pasture and water, drought and the proliferation of illegal firearms.
For communities in remote areas, the question is increasingly not only how to respond after an attack, but how to prevent armed groups from reaching vulnerable villages in the first place.
As families in Lolmolog and Morijo count their losses, pressure is now mounting on both the national and county governments to strengthen security, improve access roads and address the drought conditions that are pushing pastoralists deeper into increasingly dangerous areas.
The immediate fear among residents is that without stronger security intervention, the latest attacks may not be the last.
