There has been a rapid deterioration of the security situation in the northern part of Kenya especially in the Kerio valley and Turkana – Pokot boundary in Kainuk.

Cases of bandit attacks have been on the rise with many losses of civilian and Police lives. In the past one week only, about 15 police officers and 45 civilians have lost their lives as a result.

On Monday, President Ruto okayed a joint operation between the Kenya Defense Forces and the Police seeking to put a stop to the menace that has afflicted the region since independence.

Judging from what former Rift Valley Regional Commissioner and now Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya said, it will not be as easy as it may seem even with the deployment of the KDF.

The Transnzoia governor pointed out that those bandits have very powerful sponsors, some of who sit in the very committees tasked with fighting the bandits and thus leak information to them.

Another thing is that cattle rustling is no longer a cultural activity, it has morphed into an economic activity facilitated by the who is who in government and law enforcement agencies. There is a cabal who arms the bandits, covers up for them when the law catches up with them and then gets a market for the stollen cattle.

Unless the state deals with the motivational factor for the bandits, it’s going to be a tall order. The business is very lucrative with a ready market for the stolen cows in Nairobi and Nakuru cities.

Another key factor is the warrior culture of the communities involved, this is an economy that has been sustained by cattle rustling for hundreds of years only that it has become deadly due to the introduction of guns and commercialization of the culture. Cows no longer stay in the warring communities which could be recovered by an expedition. They are gone forever.

Every year, young boys are initiated and join the system as warriors. By this time they are already conversant with their weapons, war tactics and have mastered the terrain well. This gives them a superior advantage over police officers who have only trained for 6 months.

In addition, the porous borders in Northern Kenya with Uganda, South Sudan and Ethiopia provide a dependable supply chain for guns and ammunition.

Just as Mr Natembeya adviced the officers taking part in the operation,” Those are not civilians, they are battle hardened warriors who from the age of six already knew how to use a firearm.” The officers should keep that in mind and know they are going against a very dangerous foe.