Merti Sub-County, Isiolo County| In a swift and decisive response to escalating inter-county grazing tensions, Isiolo Governor Abdi Ibrahim Hassan popularly known as Governor Guyo has ordered herders from neighboring Samburu County to vacate the Kuro Bisan Owo area within 48 hours following a bandit attack that claimed two lives and left one person seriously injured.
The directive, jointly issued with Isiolo Woman Representative Mumina Bonaya during an on-site visit to the troubled Chari Grazing Belt, underscores mounting frustration over recurrent cross-border incursions that have terrorized local pastoralist communities.
Speaking at Kuro Bisan Owo Springs, Governor Guyo warned that failure to comply with the ultimatum could trigger further bloodshed.
“Herders from the neighboring county must leave within 48 hours, and a buffer zone will be created to avert further conflict,” he stated, emphasizing that future access to Isiolo grazing lands must follow established protocols and coordination with local authorities.
The governor further called on the national government to expedite the creation of a permanent buffer zone between Isiolo and Samburu counties – a long-standing demand aimed at curbing seasonal clashes over pasture and water resources that often turn deadly during drought periods.
Woman Representative Mumina Bonaya, who accompanied the governor alongside senior county officials and multi-agency security teams, strongly condemned the killings.
“I strongly condemn these recurring attacks,” she said, revealing that she has already engaged Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen and Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja to address the deteriorating security situation across the region.
Rapid Humanitarian and Security Response
Demonstrating hands-on leadership, Governor Guyo ensured relief supplies reached affected families even before his arrival by helicopter.
Trucks loaded with food, fuel, and essential commodities were dispatched ahead of the delegation, highlighting what county officials described as an administration that prioritizes speed when lives are at stake.
During the visit, the leaders distributed aid to displaced households and interacted directly with traumatized herders still reeling from the latest assault.
Residents expressed profound relief at the governor’s physical presence, with many praising his administration for tightening security across the vast Chari Grazing Belt.
Security has since been significantly reinforced, with additional police units and senior commanders deployed to strategic locations.
Governor Guyo urged local herders to restrict movement to designated safe grazing zones while operations continue, reassuring them: “Your safety and your livelihood matter. We are securing this area for you.”
Community Pleads for More Reservists as Fear Grips Region
Residents of Kuro Bisan Owo told journalists that repeated cattle rustling and armed ambushes have made daily life unbearable. Many families now live in constant fear, with some abandoning homesteads altogether.
The community has renewed calls for the immediate deployment of additional Kenya Police Reservists (KPR) – locally recruited and armed community defenders who have proven effective in similar arid and semi-arid conflict zones.
“Banditry is a criminal act—not a community identity,” Governor Guyo stressed, drawing a clear distinction between ordinary pastoralists seeking pasture and armed criminals exploiting drought-induced migration.
Firm Commitment to Lasting Peace
In a subsequent social media statement, Governor Guyo reiterated Isiolo County’s zero-tolerance stance toward lawlessness: “Isiolo County will not allow criminal elements to endanger our people. Every illegal armed group will be disarmed and removed from our county.”
He affirmed that coordinated security operations are fully underway and vowed to restore lasting peace across all households in the county, regardless of clan or community affiliation.
The Kuro Bisan Owo incident is the latest in a series of cross-border confrontations that have plagued the Isiolo-Samburu frontier, often exacerbated by climate-induced resource scarcity.
Local leaders and security analysts warn that without urgent national government intervention – including the proposed buffer zone and enhanced joint patrols – the cycle of violence risks spiraling further.
As reinforced security teams maintain a heightened presence in the Chari Grazing Belt, residents and observers alike acknowledge one undeniable reality: under Governor Abdi Guyo’s leadership, Isiolo is witnessing a blend of compassionate outreach and uncompromising action rarely seen in past crises.
For now, the 48-hour clock is ticking – and the people of Kuro Bisan Owo are looking to their governor to deliver the peace they have long been promised.
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