Police in Trans Mara West Sub County have recovered one more gun bringing the number of guns recovered in a period of two years in the area to 115.
Speaking at his office on Thursday, area Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) Mohamed Noor Hassan said the AK 47 gun and 10 bullets were recovered in Mashangwa area on Wednesday evening.
“I received information from members of the public who had suspected a civilian to be owning a gun. The security team immediately swung into action where they recovered the gun and ten bullets,” said Mr Hassan.
He said the suspect is being held at Kilgoris Police Station as police interrogate him before he is arraigned in a court of law. The DCC lauded the residents for giving information that led to his arrest saying the illegal weapons in the hands of civilians was a threat to security in the area.
The Sub County boss recalled that before the residents were forcefully disarmed two years ago, there were rampant incidents of insecurity as armed criminals would get into business premises to steal hence threatening the economic growth of the agricultural rich area.
“We want Trans Mara West to be a gun free area so that our people can carry out their businesses without any fear as it used to be the case some few years ago,” he reiterated.
In the year 2018, the security team launched an operation to recover all loose guns in the hands of civilians after 14 people were shot dead in prolonged clashes between the Siria and Uasin Gishu clans that dominate the area.
Among those killed were a Police Officer and a Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Officer triggering top security personnel led by Fred Matiang’i to visit the embattled land.
Last year, the government through the Rift Valley Regional Commissioner George Natembeya imposed a 4pm to 7am curfew to curb the on and off clashes at the Nkararo area that involved the Siria and Uasin Gishu clans. Several guns were returned during this season that lasted for five months.
By Ann Salaton
