NPS Dispatches High-Powered Security Team to Kitui After Deadly Inter-Community Attacks
In a statement issued on Sunday, April 26, the police confirmed that the operation was ordered by Inspector General Douglas Kanja and is being led on the ground by Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat. The deployment comes amid escalating tensions between members of the Somali and Kamba communities in the region.
“The Inspector General of the National Police Service (IG-NPS), Douglas Kanja, has already dispatched a high-powered security team led by Eliud Lagat, the Deputy Inspector General of the Kenya Police Service (DIG-KPS), who is already on the ground this morning at Kwa Kamari, Tseikuru,” the statement read. “The team will coordinate security operations and reinforce ongoing efforts to restore order in the affected area.”
Authorities confirmed that the latest attack occurred on Saturday evening, when suspected armed pastoralists stormed Kwa Kamari village and opened fire on residents. The victims—six men and one woman—were reportedly killed on the spot before the attackers fled towards the nearby Mwingi Game Reserve using a vehicle.
The assault also left a trail of destruction, with several homes torched, displacing dozens of families who have since sought refuge in safer areas. Emergency responders and additional security personnel have since been dispatched to stabilise the region and assist affected residents.
Condemning the violence, Kanja described the killings as a senseless loss of life and assured the public that thorough investigations are underway. “These attacks represent a needless and tragic loss of life that cannot be tolerated in a society governed by the rule of law,” the statement noted. “All those responsible will be pursued and brought to justice.”
In what authorities describe as a revenge attack, members of the Kamba community allegedly retaliated on March 30, killing at least four individuals from the Somali community. Saturday’s incident is now believed to be a counterattack, further fuelling fears of continued clashes if urgent interventions are not implemented.
“A chronology of criminal attacks below points to a pattern of retaliatory attacks involving two communities—the Kamba and the Somali—which must not only be condemned but also stopped immediately,” the police stated. “The NPS will take all necessary measures to combat this violence and restore lasting peace.”
The service has called for calm and restraint among residents, urging community leaders to take an active role in promoting reconciliation and preventing further escalation. Officials emphasised that while security operations are ongoing, sustainable peace will depend on cooperation between communities and law enforcement agencies.
“The NPS calls for calm and restraint from both communities. Community leaders are reminded to speak the language of peace and reconciliation as criminal culpability and ultimate justice are pursued,” the statement added.
Authorities have also appealed to members of the public with information that could aid investigations to come forward and report to the nearest police station. The NPS reiterated its commitment to restoring order, safeguarding lives and property, and preventing further violence in the volatile region.
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NPS Dispatches High-Powered Security Team to Kitui After Deadly Inter-Community Attacks
