The soft spoken but firm Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya seems to be the only person who understands the dynamics of banditry that have caused many losses of life in the northern parts of Kenya as bandits reign terror in the hotspots of Kerio Valley and Pokot- Turkana border at Kainuk.

The governor spoke on Sunday at the interdominational thanks giving prayers hosted in Nakuru with the chief guest being President William Ruto.

The governor reminded the president that all those people who lose their lives at the hands of bandits are real people with real families and real relatives so it’s not a matter that should be taken lightly.

Mr Natembeya who previously worked as the personal assistant to the late John Michuki when he was Minister for Interior Security and then as the Regional Commissioner for Rift valley province pointed out the shortcomings of the security operations and why they always fail.

First the Trans Nzoia Governor pointed out the poor renumeration the police officers get even as they risk their lives fighting people who have had guns since they were young.

“That officer in Kerio Valley earns the same amount as that officer manning a traffic roadblock in Nairobi. So they have no incentive to work, ” Governor Natembeya said.

He further revealed that because of the low renumeration which has pushed them into poverty such that they even lack food to eat, they make an unholy alliance with the bandits just to get food.

“They even exchange bullets for food. They give out bullets and they are given a goat to slaughter,” Hon Natembeya continued.

Another shocking revelation is something he realized when he was serving as the Regional Commissioner. He said that the government might be planning a raid on the bandits but the owners of the cattle and the sponsors are also in the meeting tipping off the bandits or derailing the operation.

” What I saw in Laikipia conservancy is something that made me even say am leaving this job. We give coordinates where the bandits are but instead of them being bombed, another different place is bombed.”

“This is because the owners and sponsors or those bandits are sitting with us in the meetings on how to defeat the bandits. Then all of a sudden you hear that the operation is over.”