A police officer and a businesswoman were shot and killed in an ambush by gunmen in Naisunyei area, Samburu County.
Constable Julius Muthaura was shot and killed as he escorted a herd of cattle on a lorry from Lolnguniani Market to Achers Post area.
The owner of the cows who was identified as Khadija Ibrahim, 55 was also shot and killed at the scene.
The gunmen also shot and wounded four men who were on the lorry escorting the cows in the ambush, police said.
Police said the incident happened on January 15 at about 5 pm. The gang stole 17 heads of cattle from the lorry and escaped with them.
They had laid an ambush on the road opening fire as the lorry approached. The slain officer’s AK47 rifle with 19 bullets was recovered at the scene and kept in safe custody.
Police said a team had been sent to the area to pursue the gunmen. The bodies were moved to the mortuary as the injured were rushed to the hospital for attention.
The area has been experiencing such ambushes amid operations to address the trend, police said.
The area is among those under Operation Maliza Uhalifu aimed at dealing with bandits. The operation has relatively managed to contain crime in the area and other counties amid persistence.
The operation targets Baringo, West Pokot, Turkana, Samburu, Marsabit, Meru and Isiolo counties.
Besides retributive reaction, strategic investment and sustainable development have also taken a prominent place among the government’s planned crime control interventions for Kenya’s Northern frontier and the Kerio Valley belt.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said the long-term vision is to empower the communities to actively take part in the war against animal rustling and undertake legitimate nation-building activities.
He said plans to distribute subsidized agricultural inputs and extension services to area residents in a bid to revive farming activities as a source of livelihood.
Murkomen ordered fresh vetting for all National Police Reservists (NPRs) as part of efforts to bolster the operations.
“We are coming to dismantle not only the criminals themselves but also to bring down the entire chain that has been the cattle and livestock rustling industry,” he said.
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