A herder shot and killed a fellow herder in an argument in Igembe North, Meru County.
Police said the assailant is on the run after the September 25, 2025 incident in Ndumuru area.
According to police, a group of herders was taking care of their animals when an argument broke out between the deceased and the assailant in Antuambui village.
The assailant used his AK-47 rifle to shoot the man in the head, killing him on the spot, witnesses said.
This happened as other herders escaped for their safety.
The body of the man lay at the scene until Thursday morning, when it was discovered lying in a pool of blood with a bullet wound in the right side of the head which exited on the left side, police said.
Police said the hunt on the assailant is ongoing. Some herders in the area are armed to fight off gunmen marauding for livestock.
The area is among those under Operation Maliza Uhalifu aimed at dealing with bandits.
The operation has 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.
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.
“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.
He also announced a new policy shift, which institutionalizes the command structure of the NPR officers, stating they will hence be under the direct command of the Officer Commanding Police Stations (OCS) as part of efforts to enhance their operations.
The attacks have affected development at large. Most of the stolen animals are driven to urban centres and in particular where they are slaughtered and sold as products.
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