By James Munyeki and Vincent Mabatuk
Baringo, Kenya; Gun-toting raiders made away with eight heads of cattle and 12 sheep after seriously injuring two
Four people were killed over the weekend after cattle rustlers attacked Tandar village in Baringo County.
Two people among them a 55-year-old man are nursing gunshot wounds sustained during yesterday afternoon’s incident.
Stephen Changamwe Chebon, a village elder is admitted at the Nyahururu District Hospital with right leg injuries while another victim has been transferred to North Kinangop Hospital for specialised treatment.
Yesterday afternoon, the gun totting raiders clad in jungle jackets invaded the village at the Laikipia-Baringo boarder where Chebon and other villagers were taking care of the livestock while women fetched firewood.
The suspects surrounded the victims and started shooting indiscriminately at around 1pm.
They killed three men and a six-year-old girl in the raids at Ngerecha, Tandar and Kamwenje villages.
The raiders who were armed with AK 47 rifles made away with eight heads of cattle and 12 sheep.
Speaking to The Standard in his hospital bed, Chebon narrated how the raiders attacked them adding that the known suspects from Muktan area in Pokot East have forced many families to free from their homes.
The attack brings to 10 the number of people killed in the last one month with more than 2,000 people fleeing their homes in Bartabwa and Muchongoi Division in Marigat District, Baringo County.
Baringo South Member of Parliament Grace Kipchoim said it was unfortunate that cases of cattle rustling in the region have continued un-abated for the last eight years.
Meanwhile Baringo County Governor Benjamin Cheboi called for cattle rustling to be categorised as a capital offence while condemning escalating insecurity in the County.
?He termed the perennial issue of insecurity as hindering development in the region and urged County residents to join hands in stopping the act.
PROTECTION OF PROPERTY
“This is really disheartening. For how long will people continue to be killed,” said Cheboi. ? The Governor appealed to the National Government through the Ministry of Internal Security to ensure State property like schools are protected. ?
The Governor promised to spearhead a peace marathon programme that would cover the warring communities in the County. ?
?He was speaking during a Leadership and development forum sponsored by Baringo Advocacy and development organisation at Lake Bogoria SPA resort yesterday. ?
