A juvenile boy was shot and killed, and a 15-year-old girl injured, in an attack on the Lokichar-Kitale highway in Kainuk, Turkana County.
Police said the gunmen targeted the two on January 14 morning while they were riding on a lorry that had offered them a lift to Kitale.
According to the lorry driver, the gunmen opened fire unprovoked, hitting the two victims.
The boy was killed, while the girl sustained injuries to the stomach and was rushed to a local hospital in critical condition.
The boy’s body was moved to a mortuary pending an autopsy.
The driver managed to escape the attack by maneuvering the lorry away from the gunmen.
The highway has previously been described as a high-risk area for armed attacks, prompting police and security agencies to step up patrols and interventions.
Authorities have deployed additional security personnel to the area under Operation Maliza Uhalifu, which targets crime in Turkana and neighboring counties, including Baringo, West Pokot, Samburu, Marsabit, Meru, and Isiolo.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said the operation aims to dismantle criminal networks involved in livestock rustling while empowering local communities to engage in lawful livelihoods and nation-building activities.
Murkomen outlined plans to distribute subsidized agricultural inputs and provide extension services to support farming as an alternative source of income.
He also ordered fresh vetting for all National Police Reservists (NPRs) and announced a policy shift placing NPR officers under the direct command of Officer Commanding Police Stations (OCS) to enhance operational efficiency.
“The long-term vision is to empower communities to actively participate in the fight against livestock rustling while supporting legitimate economic activities,” Murkomen said.
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