2024, year bandits left trail of deaths and destruction in Meru

The year 2024 will long be remembered in Meru County as one marked by brutal violence and rampant insecurity, as armed bandits tore through communities in a series of deadly raids. According to a report by Nation Africa, at least two police reservists and a herdsman were killed in one ambush, while a separate attack claimed the lives of three more security officers during a gunfight with roughly 13 intruders.
The violence was driven largely by cattle rustling, with reports of scores of livestock stolen, homes destroyed, and families terrorized.
The bandits, believed to operate across the kerio valleys and remote grazing lands, unleashed waves of attacks despite increased security presence. At times, communities described the raiders as bold and well-armed, calling Meru their ATM as they drove off livestock in multiple coordinated raids.
Some clashes turned into protracted firefights, as residents and security forces tried to repel attackers. In one chilling episode, bandits overpowered villagers and herders who were trying to defend their cattle, contributing to a sense that the region had become increasingly lawless.
Local leaders, deeply shaken by the scale of the mayhem, sounded the alarm. There were widespread calls for more aggressive military involvement and a reappraisal of the ongoing Operation Maliza Uhalifu crackdown. As desperation grew, some residents even urged the government to arm lawful citizens — a sign of how deeply frustrated communities were with recurring insecurity.
Looking ahead, officials warn that the threat may only intensify unless interventions are significantly strengthened. Security agencies have pledged to sustain coordinated patrols and intelligence-led operations, while also pushing for deeper community policing strategies. But for Meru’s rural families, the hope for peace hinges on whether the state can match its rhetoric with lasting action — and prevent 2024’s nightmare from repeating.