NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 13 – Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has called for accelerated infrastructure development in the Kerio Valley, saying sustained investment in roads and electricity will help consolidate security gains and create economic opportunities for local communities.Murkomen said development projects should complement security operations in areas where residents have cooperated with the Government to tackle banditry, cattle rustling and other criminal activities.Speaking in Kinyach, Baringo North Constituency, during the launch of the Kipsaraman-Kinyach Road and the flag-off of the Baringo North Last Mile Electricity Connectivity Project, the CS praised President William Ruto for directing the National Security Council to prioritise development in communities that have abandoned criminal activities.“Your Excellency, you gave us a directive at the National Security Council that because these communities have abandoned cattle theft and the killing of people, including children, women and the elderly, they should be given development,” Murkomen said.He commended local chiefs, village elders and residents for working with security agencies to improve stability across the Kerio Valley, particularly in efforts to address the proliferation of illegal firearms.“I thank you, Mr President. Wananchi, together with chiefs and village elders, worked together and we have removed all the guns from this belt here in the Kerio Valley,” he said.Murkomen maintained that sustainable peace in the region would require the Government to translate security improvements into tangible development projects that improve livelihoods and support local economic activity.He described infrastructure investment as a critical component of efforts to address the underlying challenges associated with banditry in the Kerio Valley.“Your Excellency, you are the only President who understands that the only solution to banditry is development in this area,” he said.The CS urged Ruto to prioritise the construction and improvement of key roads connecting communities across the Kerio Valley, noting that better transport infrastructure would facilitate security operations while opening up the region for trade and other economic activities.The Kipsaraman-Kinyach Road project and the last-mile electricity connectivity initiative are part of the infrastructure interventions expected to improve transport links and expand access to electricity in Baringo North.Murkomen’s remarks underscore the Government’s stated approach of combining security operations with infrastructure investment and improved access to essential services in communities affected by banditry.The approach seeks to strengthen cooperation between residents and security agencies while creating conditions for more sustainable peace and economic development in the Kerio Valley.