The guns are falling silent in Tana River, one by one. In a significant breakthrough for the government’s amnesty program, residents of Bangale Sub-County have voluntarily surrendered five illegal firearms and a cache of ammunition to security authorities.

The surrender, brokered by local elders and the National Government Administration Officers (NGAO), is being hailed as a rare victory in a region scarred by decades of ethnic conflict between the Orma and Pokomo communities. The weapons—mostly AK-47 variants—were handed over at a discreet ceremony, with the owners guaranteed immunity from prosecution.

The Context of Conflict

Tana River has been a flashpoint for banditry and resource-based violence. The porous border with Somalia has made it easy for illicit small arms to flood the delta. "A gun in Bangale costs less than a cow," notes a local peace monitor. "For years, young men have armed themselves to protect their herds, creating a cycle of retaliation."

• Operation Maliza Uhalifu: The surrender comes amidst intensified pressure from the multi-agency security operation launched by Interior CS Kithure Kindiki. With the deployment of Special Forces and increased aerial surveillance, the "cost" of holding an illegal weapon has risen.
• The Role of Elders: The breakthrough is largely credited to the Gasa elders. "We told our sons: the government is coming. If you don't drop the gun, you will die with it," said Elder Mzee Jillo. Their influence has proven more effective than threats of force.
• Development Dividend: In exchange for disarmament, the government has promised to fast-track water projects in the arid Bangale area. It is a "guns for development" barter trade that aims to address the root cause of the violence: scarcity.

A Drop in the Ocean?

While the surrender of five guns is symbolic, security experts warn that thousands more remain in civilian hands. "This is a good start, but we need to see the heavy weaponry—the G3s and the M16s—come out," says a security analyst in Mombasa.

Nevertheless, for the residents of Bangale who have lived in fear of the nightly crack of gunfire, five fewer guns means five fewer chances of a funeral. The government is now urging other sub-counties to follow suit before the amnesty window closes.