As part of an ongoing security operation, 10 firearms were recovered on Sunday in Samburu County.
The locals in the area responded to the government’s plea to join the amnesty programme and surrender any illegal weapons they possess.
One G3 rifle and two empty magazines were found in Kirisia forest, while a Federal Riot gun was also retrieved.
Additionally, eight other weapons, including six AK47 rifles and a Carribean, were recovered in the same region, along with 19 rounds of ammunition.
While the numbers of surrendered weapons may be small, officials plan to continue urging those with illegal firearms to surrender them during the ongoing operation.
Samburu County is one of six counties currently under a dusk-to-dawn curfew due to the rising incidents of banditry.
The government initiated the arms amnesty programme ahead of the operation to recover weapons, as banditry in the North Rift region continues to increase.
The operation began on February 17, and it is a high-level multi-agency operation that involves uniformed men and women from the National Police Service and KDF.
The military team will move to mapped areas for deployment, although the shortage of resources and personnel may make covering the entire area difficult.
A convoy of military vehicles was seen moving into the troubled zones, and Maj Gen David Tarus of KDF is expected to coordinate the operation with Rift Valley Regional Commander Tom Odero.
The multi-agency exercise has been mobilising resources ahead of the start of the operation, including vehicles, choppers, personnel, tents, and food.
The government has designated additional areas in Samburu and Laikipia Counties as dangerous and disturbed areas, with the curfew extension affecting Sipili Division in Laikipia County and Malaso, Baragoi, and Wamba Divisions in Samburu County.
These areas require residents to cooperate with the multi-agency security team by surrendering illegal firearms and sharing any information that will help restore peace and security.
The military’s involvement in the operation has been met with mixed reactions from the public, with some welcoming the move, while others have criticised it.
The plan to deploy KDF to the region was tabled before Parliament on Tuesday, with the operation set to target bandit hideouts in hilly areas.
With the drought situation worsening, the operation is expected to target caves that bandits use for cover and beef up ground and air support.
Interior CS Kithure Kindiki declared the security situation in the North Rift a National Emergency and issued a three-day amnesty for the surrender of illegally held firearms.
He noted that more than 100 people and 16 police officers had been killed in the past six months in the area.
Inspector General Japhet Koome called on anyone owning firearms illegally in the area to surrender them immediately.
