A sweeping government operation in northern Kenya has netted hundreds of suspects and seized a cache of weapons, in what officials describe as a major step toward restoring peace in one of the country’s most volatile regions.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, speaking on Wednesday at Marsabit Police Station, said “Operation Ondoa Jangili” had resulted in the arrest of more than 300 individuals and the recovery of over 200 illegal firearms.
“This operation has thwarted several criminal activities and curbed the proliferation of small arms,” Murkomen told reporters, flanked by local police commanders and military officials. “We’re seeing real progress.”
The crackdown, which began earlier this year, targets armed criminal networks in Isiolo and Marsabit counties areas long plagued by banditry, inter-communal violence, and cross-border crime.
Authorities say the multi-agency team behind the operation is also investigating illegal mining, human trafficking, and narcotics smuggling, much of it with links to neighbouring countries.
Murkomen said the war on drug trafficking had so far led to the arrest of 286 foreign nationals. “The operation is ongoing, and our teams remain vigilant. We are determined to restore lasting peace,” he said.
Police on site displayed some of the weapons and narcotics recovered during the operation. Officials did not give further detail on the origin of the arms, though similar past crackdowns have often traced illicit firearms to cross-border smuggling routes from Ethiopia and South Sudan.
To strengthen the effort, Murkomen confirmed the deployment of 600 new National Police Reservists (NPRs), recruited from within local communities. “They understand the terrain, the people, and the history,” he said. “They’ll help us bridge the gap between security forces and residents.”
The operation has been broadly welcomed by local leaders, though some have called for transparency and long-term investment alongside the military response.
“We need security, yes but we also need schools, water, and opportunities for the youth,” said Ahmed Galgalo, a local elder in Marsabit. “Otherwise the guns will return.”
While tensions in the region remain high, Murkomen insisted the current efforts are not just reactive but part of a wider strategy to stabilise northern Kenya.
“The days of lawlessness are over,” he said firmly. “No part of this country should be a no-go zone.”
It remains to be seen whether the arrests and weapons seizures will lead to lasting peace. But in a region long gripped by violence and neglect, this latest move marks a significant shift at least for now.
