Kenya’s first President, Jomo Kenyatta, faced a major security crisis shortly after independence when elders in the Northern Frontier District declared their intention to break away from the central government.
The declaration came just two weeks after the Lanet Army barracks mutiny in Nakuru, further stretching the young country's security forces. The elders from North Eastern Province, Marsabit and Isiolo demanded secession from the central government.
With the country's security forces already stretched thin, Kenyatta ordered the remaining troops and the General Service Unit (GSU) to lay siege to the troubled region.
The confrontation quickly turned deadly when the mutineers murdered Isiolo District Commissioner Daudi Wabera and six other senior government administrators.
Restoring government authority proved difficult, forcing Kenyatta's administration to combine military operations, psychological warfare and diplomatic efforts.
The struggle lasted four years before the government finally managed to restore order in the region. However, the prolonged military operation came at a heavy financial cost, leaving government coffers on the verge of bankruptcy.
The crisis became one of the toughest challenges Kenyatta faced during his early presidency.
https://www.kenyans.co.ke/news/44588-4-year-war-almost-broke-mzee-kenyatta
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