President William Ruto has urged Samburu County residents to surrender illegal firearms in their possession, warning that the government will not allow the use of guns to perpetrate banditry and violence in the region.
Speaking during a visit to Samburu on Sunday, November 9, 2025, the President said security agencies are aware of individuals in possession of illegal weapons and will move to recover them if not surrendered voluntarily.
“We know those in possession of illegal weapons. If there’s anyone here whose friend has an illegal weapon, tell them to surrender early or we will come for it,” Ruto said in Swahili.
The President decried that guns in the region have for long been used to terrorize innocent persons, leading to destruction of life and property, vowing to end what he termed as a resurgence of banditry in Baragoi within the county.
“I’ve stood in Baragoi before and declared that livestock theft, cases where children do not go to school due to insecurity and women are left widowed will come to an end. That nonsense will have to end,” he added.
“There are people who want to go back to this nonsense. We will not allow this. Tell them to pack their things and leave because we are coming for them.”
The President encouraged young men interested in handling firearms to join the police service through the formal recruitment process rather than keeping weapons unlawfully.
“If you want to use a gun, we are having a police recruitment. Come and be vetted so that you can use the gun in the correct way,” Ruto said.
Baragoi has, in the past, been a hotspot for bandit activities. The region has seen a resurgence of banditry-related incidents throughout 2025, with several people killed in attacks and cattle raids.
Bandits frequently target motorists on the Maralal-Baragoi road, even ambushing county government and utility company vehicles.
The State is currently carrying out a disarmament exercise to reclaim illegal weapons across various banditry-prone regions, including the North Rift.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said in October 2025 that 602 illegal firearms had been recovered in the North Rift, marking a major step in the government’s ongoing efforts to curb insecurity and disarm civilians in the region.
Murkomen said the disarmament operation, which has been underway for several months, has helped restore peace and stability in areas that were once hotspots of conflict. He noted that the exercise has reduced cases of bandit attacks and allowed residents to resume their normal lives.
Speaking in Baringo County during President William Ruto’s development tour, Murkomen said the county had recorded the highest number of surrendered weapons, with 170 guns handed over so far.
