CS Murkomen: Why guns are not enough to stop banditry in 23 counties

CS Murkomen: Why Guns Are Not Enough to Stop Banditry in 23 Counties
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has declared that a purely security-centric approach is insufficient to end the perennial banditry and cross-border conflicts plaguing 23 high-risk counties. The CS emphasized that while state firepower is crucial, a lasting solution requires a holistic strategy that integrates security, development, and social programs to address the root causes of the violence.
Speaking during a high-level security briefing, CS Murkomen outlined that decades of relying solely on military and police operations have failed to yield sustainable peace. He identified the core drivers of the conflict as competition over scarce resources like pasture and water, historical marginalization, and a lack of alternative livelihoods for the youth. You can deploy all the guns in the world, but if you do not provide water, education, roads, and economic opportunities, the conflict will simply recur, Murkomen stated, signaling a significant shift in the government’s counter-banditry philosophy.
The new multi-pronged strategy will see various government ministries, including Education, Water, and Roads, collaborate with the Interior Ministry to deliver development projects in the restive regions. Initiatives will include the construction of schools, water pans, and infrastructure to open up the areas and provide residents with sustainable sources of income beyond livestock rustling. The CS also stressed the importance of peace education and inter-community dialogues to heal historical grievances.
This policy shift has been welcomed by security analysts and local leaders from affected counties, who have long argued that underdevelopment is the true enemy. By acknowledging that guns alone are a temporary fix, the government is aligning its approach with the complex realities on the ground. The success of this integrated plan is now seen as the most viable path to breaking the decades-long cycle of violence and creating a foundation for lasting peace and prosperity in Kenya’s banditry-prone regions.