Kenya’s Interior Ministry has gazetted parts of Narok County as 'security-disturbed and dangerous' following recent tensions and clashes.
The declaration allows for heightened security operations and aims to stabilise affected areas of Trans Mara.
The move reaffirms the government’s use of legal instruments to respond to localized insecurity and restore order.
The declaration released on Monday was published in a special issue of the Kenya Gazette dated December 19, 2025.
It states that the decision was made to allow deployment of more decisive security interventions and de-escalation of the situation.
The notice, issued under Gazette Notice No. 18670, was made “in exercise of the powers conferred by section 106 (1) of the National Police Service Act, 2011.”
According to the gazette, the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration acted “in consultation with the National Security Council” in making the declaration.
The areas listed as security disturbed and dangerous are located in Trans Mara West and Trans Mara South sub-counties of Narok County.
The violence has displaced thousands of residents as communities face off over contested land and resources.
In Trans Mara West, the affected area named in the notice is Nkaroru. In Trans Mara South, the declaration covers Oldonyo-Orok, Siteti, Ololoma, Commer, Ratiki, Isokon, Kerinkani, Kondamet, Olkiloriti, Angata Barakoi, Kapkeres, Lolgorian Town, and Mashangwa.
This comes amid the violent clashes that rose in the Angata Barakoi area of Trans Mara South, Narok County, as tribal clashes between the Maasai and Kipsigis communities intensified, rooted in long-standing land disputes and boundary disagreements in the region.
The confrontations have turned deadly, with multiple people killed, homes torched, and widespread insecurity reported in the last few days.
The recent Angata Barakoi violence in Trans Mara South and West, Narok County began escalating sharply in late November 2025, with tribal clashes between communities intensifying and leading to deadly confrontations, destruction of homes, and mass displacement.
These recent clashes have been occurring over the past three days, as of December 20, 2025, contributing to the government’s decision to impose a curfew.
The Kenya Red Cross Society has been actively responding to the humanitarian impact of the clashes.
According to its assessments, over 1,800 people have been displaced in just three days as a result of the escalating violence in Angata Barakoi.
The organisation reported that “253 households were burnt down, forcing families to seek shelter in schools, dispensaries, and open areas, with some sleeping under trees”, and highlighted that children, women, and persons with disabilities are among the most affected.
It has deployed teams on the ground to conduct needs assessments, provide psychosocial support, and mobilise assistance to displaced families.
In response to the deteriorating security situation, the National Police Service declared parts of Trans Mara South and Trans Mara West as disturbed and dangerous and imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew to curb the violence.
The curfew, in effect from 6 pm to 6 am, covers multiple areas, including Angata Barakoi, and is part of a broader security operation aiming to restore calm.
Authorities also issued a 72-hour ultimatum for the surrender of illegal firearms, warning that failure to comply would lead to stronger action.
The government’s move seeks to break cycles of retaliation, protect lives and property, and allow humanitarian access to affected communities.
The gazette notice specifies that the declaration “shall take effect on December 19, 2025, as from 6.00 p.m., for a period of thirty (30) days.
It also provides flexibility for the government to adjust the duration, stating that it may, at any time, be withdrawn or continued in force for such further period as the Cabinet Secretary may, in each case, by notice in the Kenya Gazette direct.
Such declarations are typically used to provide a legal framework for intensified security operations, including the deployment of additional personnel and resources, in areas experiencing instability.
The document was signed by Kipchumba Murkomen, Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration, and was printed and published by the Government Printer, Nairobi.
It appears in Volume CXXVII-No. 262 of the Kenya Gazette, which is published by authority of the Republic of Kenya and registered as a newspaper at the General Post Office.
While the gazette notice does not provide details of the incidents, the formal classification of the areas as security disturbed and dangerous signals the seriousness with which the situation is being treated.
Under the National Police Service Act, such a designation gives security agencies a clearer mandate to act decisively to restore order.
