Murkomen blames banditry in Northern Kenya on marginalisation, underdevelopment

Appearing before the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Internal Security and National Administration on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, Murkomen said the

“In my personal opinion, I believe the cause of banditry is marginalisation. Underdevelopment is a sustaining factor to banditry,” Murkomen said.

He said the government needed to invest in roads, schools and other infrastructure in affected areas to address the problem in the long term.

“Unless roads and schools are developed, police will continue to deal with bandits over and over and over again,” he said.

Murkomen questioned why banditry was prevalent in parts of northern Kenya but had not taken root in more developed towns.

“You should ask yourself why there are no bandits in Eldoret or Kitale? It is because of development. Why does it not spill over Meru town? The problem is not you, it is underdevelopment,” he said.

The CS also disclosed that security agencies had recovered 3,221 of the 4,306 livestock reported stolen between June and September 2026.

Source: Citizen Digital