Residents of Turkana County on Friday, November 6, 2026, staged demonstrations over persistent insecurity, blocking sections of the Lodwar-Kitale Highway and paralysing transport as they demanded urgent government intervention.
The protests, which left motorists and passengers stranded for hours, were reported in Lokichar, Kalemorok, Kakong and Kainuk, where demonstrators barricaded roads to protest recurring killings and cattle theft blamed on armed bandits.
The residents accused the government of failing to protect communities from repeated attacks, which they said have resulted in loss of lives, livestock theft and disruption of economic activities across the region.
During the demonstrations, local leaders and residents insisted that the protests would continue until the government provided concrete measures to address insecurity and guaranteed the safety of affected communities.
One of the leaders, who said he arrived at the scene at around 6:30 am, found the road already blocked by residents demanding justice.
“Na hapa barabara nimekuja hapa 6:30. Kufika hapa nikakuta barabara imeshuwa. Wanainchi wanahitaji haki yao. So nikaamua kutulia,” he said.
Philip Lodio, a resident, maintained that the demonstrators would not reopen the road until the government addressed their security concerns and assured them of adequate protection.“Insecurity ikishughulikiwa barabara itafunguliwa.
Hatuna limit ya kufunga barabara. Limit eti ya kufunga barabara ni serikali ya kutuambia tutalindwa aje,” he said.
Leaders Question Effectiveness of Security OperationsThe demonstrators also questioned the effectiveness of ongoing security operations, particularly the deployment of multi-agency security teams in some of the affected areas.
One of the leaders expressed concern that attacks continued to occur in areas experiencing insecurity despite the presence of security officers, raising questions about the effectiveness of the current interventions.
“Ukiangalia Kakum, ukiangalia Captive, multi-agency wako mahali pale. Lakini penye inareidiwa kila siku, kila siku ni wapi? Ni penye multi-agency wako,” he said.
The leaders further warned that recurring insecurity had severely disrupted economic activities, particularly transportation, businesses and livelihoods in Turkana South, Turkana East, Loima and neighbouring areas.
They called on the national government to move beyond security deployments and implement lasting interventions to end cattle rustling, prevent further killings and restore peace.
