Editor's Review

The 21 people include a police officer, civilians, and suspects. 

Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has disclosed that 21 people were killed in banditry attacks between January and March 2025.

In a statement on Saturday, May 3, Murkomen noted that the 21 people include one police officer, 8 civilians, and 12 suspects.

“Unfortunately, as a result of these criminal acts, 21 persons ( 1 police officer, 8 civilians and 12 suspects.) were killed in the first quarter of the year 2025 compared to 58 persons who unfortunately died in the same period in 2024,” said Murkomen.

The Interior CS also highlighted that between January and March, 167 cases of stock theft were reported, compared to 263 in the same period last year.

During the period, a total of 4,935 livestock were stolen compared to 8,557 in the same period in 2024.

File image of Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen. 

Murkomen said that the reduction in stock theft cases is a result of efforts by security officers and reservists.

“Our security teams are still confronted by the following challenges in the fight against banditry; proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons, commercialization of banditry through readily available markets for stolen livestock, political interference and incitement, competition for water and pasture during periods of drought, fights over communal land boundaries and inaccessible safe havens for criminals due to poor infrastructure and mobile network coverage amongst other challenges,” the Interior CS remarked.

Further, CS Murkomen said the Government is working to set aside resources for infrastructure development, including schools, and to provide our security officers with better equipment and resources to tackle the challenges.

He called on Kenyans to collaborate with security agencies in making the country safe and asked politicians to stop politicizing security matters.

“I urge Kenyans to collaborate with our security officers as we strive to secure our Country. Let us shun all acts of political incitement and revenge. I urge political leaders to stop playing politics with such important national security concerns,” Murkomen added.