Turkana residents block Kitale-Lodwar highway in protests over insecurity, police brutality

By  Sammy Lutta

Correspondent

Nation Media Group

Transport along the Kitale-Lodwar highway was disrupted for hours on Friday as residents of Turkana South and Aroo sub-counties staged protests over worsening insecurity, alleged police brutality and what they termed a biased disarmament operation by Special Operations Group (SOG) officers.

The protesters barricaded the highway at Kainuk, Kakong'u, Kaputir junction, Kalemengorok and Keekunyuk using stones, tree branches and burning tyres, paralysing movement along the major transport corridor linking Kenya to South Sudan.

They accused security officers of targeting peaceful residents while failing to pursue armed bandits, recover stolen livestock and protect communities from repeated raids.

The demonstrations drew Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai, Turkana South MP Ariko Namoit and Woman Representative Cecilia Ngitit, who demanded the immediate transfer of SOG officers and changes to the multi-agency security team deployed in the region.

At Kainuk, officers used teargas and live rounds to disperse protesters after Dr Namoit and a section of local leaders joined the demonstrations.

Kainuk, a major banditry hotspot along the Turkana-Pokot border, hosts a multi-agency security team comprising personnel from the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF), General Service Unit (GSU), Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU), Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU) and Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS).

The agencies are deployed to combat banditry, cattle rustling and insecurity along the volatile border.

At Kalemengorok, another group of leaders led by Governor Lomorukai joined the protesters, demanding the removal of SOG officers and some members of the multi-agency team whom they accused of conducting a selective security operation.

Mr Peter Nakauron said residents had remained vulnerable to attacks five months after SOG officers began disarmament operations in Kalemengorok, following the disarmament of their National Police Reservists (NPRs).

He cited previous raids in Kakong'u, Kokito and Kaputir junction, during which residents who had lost livestock were allegedly subjected to brutality when they attempted to pursue the stolen animals.

"It has now been a trend that whenever villages and centres in Turkana are raided, SOG officers zero in on the affected locals for operation. When Kapelbok was raided on Thursday, the SOG later resorted to torching three motorbikes and torturing riders," he said.

Mr Nakauron dismissed claims by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen that peace was returning to parts of the North Rift, including West Pokot, Baringo and Elgeyo Marakwet, arguing that armed bandits had instead been pushed into the South Turkana National Reserve.

He accused the Interior Ministry of taking sides by failing to disarm armed groups occupying large sections of the reserve while subjecting peaceful residents in established settlements to what he described as relentless police brutality.

"The Interior Ministry under Mr Murkomen is taking sides by making sure that the bandits who occupied large parts of land in Turkana National Reserve are not disarmed, but peaceful locals in permanent settlements are subjected to unending police brutality," he said.

Civil society organisations also defended the demonstrations, saying residents had legitimate grievances over a security operation they believe has left them exposed to further attacks.

Mr Eliud Emeri, president of the Civil Society Network Turkana, said he had witnessed incidents of alleged police brutality, including the assault of a Probox driver and four motorcycle riders.

"On Thursday, I witnessed a Probox driver at a bridge was assaulted for failing to surrender an illegal gun that he didn't have as well as four motorcyclists. They are causing vulnerability and making life of locals more difficult," he said.

Mr Emeri said the civil society network had filed a petition in court seeking explanations from security personnel in Aroo Sub-county over the deteriorating security situation.

"What we need is for the government to protect lives and property without bias. If SOG officers are in the sub-county to violate human rights because of resources like gold and crude oil, they should leave," he said.

Turkana Professional Association chairman Jackson Nakusa also questioned the conduct of the operation, accusing officers of using excessive force and destroying property belonging to residents they were constitutionally mandated to protect.

He challenged security agencies to target known bandit hideouts, particularly Kailongol, instead of concentrating their operations on peaceful settlements.

"Why can't they go to areas where bandits are hiding, especially at Kailongol, and deal with armed criminals? The operation is imbalanced and directed towards one community. The officers should be replaced by a good team as they are even shielding bandits whenever they steal livestock by compromising recovery efforts," Mr Nakusa said.

Governor Lomorukai accused the government of failing in its constitutional responsibility to protect lives and property, saying security operations in Kainuk, a key gateway to Turkana, were instead exposing residents to bandit attacks, discouraging investors and prioritising the protection of large-scale investors operating in contested gold mining areas.

"I want to tell CS Murkomen that things are not going on well in his ministry," he said.

The governor questioned why armed groups accused of terrorising residents were allegedly allowed to occupy parts of the gazetted South Turkana National Reserve, while what he termed expansionists established settlements in the contested land under the protection of security personnel.

He further accused SOG officers and some members of the multi-agency team of prioritising the interests of large-scale gold mining investors operating on more than 600 square kilometres of land, which he said his administration had not approved.

"There are gold investors that are misusing SOG officers because they are linked to Interior Cabinet Secretary. The investors have forcefully occupied Turkana land and are chasing away local miners, torching their motorbikes, small-scale businesses and torturing those who don't comply. Those who have occupied the Kalomwae gold mining site should vacate with immediate effect. I will, together with the County Security Committee, visit the gold mining sites to chase away illegal investors," he said.

Mr Lomorukai warned that what he termed selective disarmament and the destruction of property belonging to communities already vulnerable to banditry were deepening economic hardship along the border.

He accused officers of turning on residents whenever livestock was stolen instead of pursuing raiders and recovering the animals.

"Security personnel were sent to do peaceful disarmament. When bandits raid a village, instead of recovering livestock, SOG officers turn on locals to forcefully demand illegal guns. They have even been targeting pastors who they have listed as owning illegal guns. This is forcing some listed individuals to buy guns from neighbouring countries and hand them over so that they are freed by SOG officers," Governor Lomorukai said.

At Kainuk, the governor met Aroo Sub-county Deputy Police Commander Donald Sailor and presented residents' concerns over insecurity. Mr Sailor assured him that security would be enhanced through regular operations and timely recovery of stolen livestock.

The governor said the ongoing operation had also discouraged residents from attending the county Mashujaa Day celebrations held at Kalemengorok.

He warned that the deteriorating security situation threatened to reverse 14 years of peaceful coexistence between Turkana and Pokot communities at Lorengippi village in Loima Constituency.

Ms Ngitit said leaders across the political divide were demanding stronger security measures to protect lives and property, accusing the government of failing to act despite repeated engagements with President William Ruto and Mr Murkomen, as well as motions in Parliament.

"We are not happy with insecurity and our frequent meetings with President Ruto and CS Murkomen, as well as motions in Parliament, have not paid off. No action is being taken but insecurity is only getting worse while SOG officers shift focus on gold mining activities," she said.

Dr Namoit said the demonstrations were intended to draw the government's attention to continued killings and livestock raids, excessive use of force during disarmament operations, failure to recover stolen animals and what he described as selective disarmament disproportionately targeting the Turkana community.

"We cannot continue losing lives and property while the concerns of our people remain unresolved. Every Kenyan deserves security, dignity and equal protection under the law, regardless of their community. This is not a call against our neighbours or any community. It is a call for justice, accountability, fairness and lasting peace," he said.

The MP accused security personnel of avoiding known bandit hideouts while concentrating on peaceful villages where residents had surrendered illegal firearms.

He claimed delays in targeted operations against armed criminals pointed to possible collusion between some members of the multi-agency security team and bandits.

Dr Namoit demanded the immediate transfer of senior security officers in Aroo Sub-county, including Deputy County Police Commander Donald Sailor.

He also called for the restructuring of the multi-agency security team, arguing that its deployment was heavily concentrated around Kainuk town, and urged authorities to extend security operations to Kalomwae and deploy armed National Police Reservists to villages vulnerable to bandit attacks.

The protests also disrupted the movement of goods and passengers along the highway, with motorists stranded for much of the day.

Mr Kennedy Koech, who was transporting goats to Nairobi, said he was stopped at 9am and only allowed to proceed at 6pm after Governor Lomorukai met senior Aroo Sub-county security officials.

"The government should beef up security not only for the locals but also motorists who are always targeted by highway bandits. We have lost a lot of time as a result of the protest and I don't know how many live goats I will deliver in Nairobi because they spent the whole day without pasture and water," he said.

Mr Gideon Menjo, a driver with Lodwar Prestige Shuttle, said repeated roadblocks left his vehicle stranded between Keekunyuk and Kalemengorok, with passengers struggling to access food and drinks.

He said although protesters were largely peaceful, the prolonged disruption left travellers vulnerable, particularly in areas known for highway banditry.

"Keekunyuk, Kalemengorok, Kakong'u, KWS and Kainuk are major hotspots for highway bandits. We also want the government to ensure regular security patrols whenever insecurity worsens," Mr Menjo said.

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