By L, KNA
Chiefs in Samburu West have been warned over rising highway banditry along the Maralal–Opiroi road, after a series of ambushes by heavily armed gangs left several people injured and robbed of their belongings.
Speaking at Kenyatta Stadium in Maralal during Mashujaa Day celebrations, acting Deputy County Commissioner Mr. Otieno Mumanyi gave the chiefs 14 days to help ensure suspects are arrested and arraigned. He cautioned that administrators who fail to act will be held accountable.
Mr. Mumanyi urged residents of Maralal town and those living along the corridor to promptly report suspicious persons to police, noting that the government, through a multiagency security team, is committed to safeguarding lives and property.
Attendance at the celebration was notably low, and the Presidential speech arrived at 2 p.m., after which the Deputy County Commissioner read it to the patient crowd.
On environmental protection, Mr. Mumanyi directed all chiefs to secure forests within their administrative areas and encouraged residents to plant more trees to restore degraded landscapes.
He affirmed that recent coordinated patrols have been intensified, and intelligence sharing with communities is underway to stem attacks and restore confidence in travel along the Maralal–Opiroi route for all travelers.