How Kenya is silencing guns in the North Rift

The government says security operations, recovery of illegal firearms and community-led peace efforts are helping restore schools, farming and trade in parts of the region.

For years, banditry and retaliatory attacks have disrupted life across Kenya’s North Rift, forcing families to abandon their homes, interrupting children’s education and undermining economic activity.

In parts of Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo, West Pokot and neighbouring counties, cattle raids have fuelled cycles of revenge, with communities living under the threat of armed attacks.

The government says a combination of security operations, disarmament and community engagement is helping reverse the trend, with residents returning to farms, schools reopening and markets recovering.

The progress and remaining challenges in the region feature in the National Celebrations Handbook for Mashujaa Day 2026, North Rift Edition, which outlines the government’s approach to addressing banditry and restoring stability.

By early 2023, the security situation in the region had deteriorated significantly. According to the handbook, banditry had claimed 135 civilian lives and 20 police officers in seven months.

The government responded by launching Operation Maliza Uhalifu, a multi-agency security operation involving the Kenya Defence Forces, the National Police Service, the National Intelligence Service and national government administrators.

In March 2023, residents of 27 identified bandit hideouts were asked to leave the areas to allow security agencies to conduct operations while minimising civilian casualties, the handbook states.

The strategy also marked a shift from reactive responses to intelligence-led operations intended to target armed criminals and their networks.

To maintain a sustained security presence, the government established a permanent camp at Kolowa in May 2023, staffed by more than 400 officers. Other security camps along the Kerio Valley were moved to strategic locations, while facilities such as Embobut Police Station were made permanent.

In 2024, the government introduced additional equipment, including armoured vehicles, drones and surveillance systems, under a reported Sh37 billion, five-year programme to modernise security equipment and intelligence operations.

The government has identified illegal firearms as a major factor in the recurring violence, arguing that disputes between individuals or clans can quickly escalate into wider confrontations when weapons are readily available.

Authorities have also targeted the commercial networks behind cattle theft, including financiers, suppliers and buyers, rather than focusing exclusively on those carrying out attacks.

In February 2026, Operation Maliza Uhalifu was extended to Kainuk, along the Turkana-West Pokot border. The operation covers Turkana, West Pokot, Baringo, Samburu, Marsabit, Meru and Isiolo counties.

Disarmament efforts have combined security operations and patrols with amnesty programmes and community sensitisation intended to encourage residents to surrender illegal weapons voluntarily.

According to the Mashujaa Day handbook, security agencies recovered more than 1,000 illegal firearms in the Kerio Valley in less than five months by December 2025. By June 2026, residents had voluntarily surrendered a further 500 weapons.

The figures point to the scale of the disarmament effort, although the handbook does not provide a detailed breakdown of the recoveries or the number of firearms that remain in circulation.

Beyond deploying security officers, the government says it is working with local communities to address disputes and rebuild trust between residents and security agencies.

Clan elders have been involved in dialogue and negotiations aimed at resolving disputes before they escalate into violence. Chiefs have also been equipped with motorcycles to help them reach remote villages and provide early warnings about emerging security threats.

Teachers are being used as peace educators, while young people are being engaged as police reservists and partners in local security initiatives.

The government is also supporting the reconstruction of damaged or abandoned public institutions, including schools and health centres, as part of efforts to restore essential services in affected areas.

Economic empowerment is another component of the strategy. The government says it is implementing programmes to rehabilitate former bandits and equip them with skills and certificates to pursue productive economic activities.

These interventions are intended to address some of the economic and social conditions associated with persistent conflict, alongside efforts to recover illegal firearms.

The government says the impact of improved security is becoming visible in communities that had previously experienced repeated attacks.

Several schools have reopened, allowing children to return to class, while residents are resuming farming and other economic activities.

The handbook also points to a growing shift towards maize and sorghum farming, alongside the revival of markets that had been disrupted by insecurity.

Improved security is also expected to support the movement of people and goods and create conditions for investment in infrastructure, including roads, energy and sports facilities across the North Rift.

However, the long-term impact of these changes will depend on whether communities can sustain the gains, access reliable public services and build livelihoods without returning to cycles of violence.

The government's stated objective is to recover all illegal firearms and consolidate the progress made through security operations and community partnerships.

For residents, lasting peace means more than fewer attacks. It also means being able to cultivate their land, send children to school, access healthcare, trade freely and travel without fear.

The experience of the North Rift, as presented in the Mashujaa Day 2026 handbook, underscores the relationship between security and development. While enforcement remains central to the fight against banditry, dialogue, public services and economic opportunities are also part of the effort to prevent violence from recurring.

As Kenya marks Mashujaa Day, the government's message is that the work of securing the region must translate into lasting improvements in the lives and livelihoods of the communities affected by years of insecurity.