Residents of Turkana Feel Abandoned as Bandits Rule Volatile Border
Communities living along the volatile border of Turkana County have voiced a desperate plea for help, stating they feel completely abandoned by the government as armed bandits continue to rule the area with impunity. Persistent cattle rustling and brutal attacks have become a daily reality for these residents, who report that state security forces are conspicuously absent, leaving them defenseless against well-armed cross-border raiders. The situation has created a humanitarian crisis, with many families displaced and living in constant fear.
The bandits, often operating from neighboring regions, are described as highly organized and equipped with sophisticated weaponry far superior to the few firearms owned by local herders. Recent attacks have not only resulted in the theft of thousands of livestock—the primary source of wealth in the region—but have also led to numerous fatalities and severe injuries. Schools and health centers in the border villages have been closed indefinitely, crippling essential services and trapping residents in a cycle of poverty and violence.
Local leaders are now issuing urgent appeals to both the national and county governments to deploy a permanent and robust security force to the region. They are demanding the immediate establishment of additional police posts and a sustained security operation to disarm the criminals and recover stolen livestock. The residents of Turkana are pleading for the government to reclaim its constitutional mandate to protect lives and property, asking for an end to the neglect that has allowed banditry to flourish and has left them feeling like second-class citizens in their own country.