Better times await Kenya police reservists risking their lives in banditry-prone areas

Kenya Police Reservists keep vigil at Katilu village in Turkana South Constituency, as they trace their cattle that were stolen by raiders from the neighbouring county. [PHOTO/Peter Ochieng/STANDARD].

Commonly known as village boots due to their unrivaled knowledge of the harsh terrain that is the arid and semi-arid northern Kenya, the Kenya Police Reservists (KPR) have diligently protected their communities for decades without pay.

For the past 67 years, scores of reservists have lost their lives protecting their communities from external aggressors in areas that are seldom policed. Many more others have been maimed. Yet successive governments continue to ignore their plight.