The Kenyan government has prolonged the dusk-to-dawn curfew in Marsabit County by 30 days, citing persistent security threats and ongoing inter-ethnic conflicts. The extension, announced in a June 2 gazette by Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, will take effect from June 1, 2022, and apply between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. daily.
Matiang’i stated the measure follows failed reconciliation efforts and a surge in violence that defied earlier peace initiatives. Unlike the previous curfew, the Kom Durte area of Isiolo will remain exempt. The directive coincides with a multi-agency operation, including the General Service Unit and Anti-Stock Theft Unit, to disarm illegal weapons and address reported killings.
Over 50 suspects have been arrested in connection with recent violence, with police commissioner Bernard Kituku Mbatha overseeing the campaign. The initiative, named "Operation Rejesha Amani Marsabit," builds on security strategies deployed in Laikipia in 2021, where Mbatha previously managed similar operations.
