President William Ruto has issued a stern warning to civilians in Baringo County still holding illegal firearms, directing them to surrender the weapons immediately or face firm government action.
Speaking during a roadside rally in Kabarnet Town, the President said his administration will not tolerate armed criminality that has long plagued parts of the North Rift region. He emphasized that security agencies have already identified individuals in possession of illegal guns and that failure to comply with the disarmament directive will attract severe consequences.
“For a long time, Baringo has been troubled by insecurity. Time has come to deal with the issue decisively,” Ruto said. “Bandits — I will deal with them. I want to promise you, these armed cattle thieves, I will sort them out completely.”
The Head of State revealed that 600 illegal firearms have already been surrendered to authorities following an earlier amnesty but noted that many more remain in circulation. He warned residents against ignoring the directive, stating that the government has full knowledge of those still holding weapons.
“Don’t deceive yourselves,” Ruto cautioned. “The government knows everyone who still has a gun. I have given them notice — return the guns early. And if they don’t, nobody should question me. We cannot allow this to be a county of orphans and widows.”
The President assured residents that his administration has deployed additional police officers to restore peace and protect communities from frequent bandit attacks.
He further directed Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen to ensure that all firearms are under strict government control, adding that no civilian should be allowed to walk around with an unlicensed weapon.
Ruto reiterated his government’s commitment to ending the cycle of insecurity in Baringo and restoring stability in the North Rift region once and for all.
