Two people were killed while four others sustained injuries at Kibigori on the border of Kisumu and Nandi counties, as two communities clashed. Several houses were burnt down as police failed to contain the fighting. The clashes began an hour past midnight. A home was allegedly raided into and two cows stolen.
The owner, Mr Timothy Juma, alerted his neighbours who gathered and pursued the attackers, but lost track of their footprints. The group of young men allegedly untied a herd of about 50 cows and crossed with them to their side of the border, claiming to return only if their cows and sheep were brought back.
Another group of young men from the other community followed demanding their herd. The two groups met at the Kibigori border where the fighting started.
Police arrived in the scene before the tension escalated, but were unable to calm the situation. Boniface Olima, 22, was shot with an arrow and was rushed to Masogo Sub-County Hospital where he succumbed to the injuries.
John Jalang’o, 45, a husband of two and father of six, died on the spot after being hacked with an axe in his home.
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He had moved to his new home a week ago. “I am very worried and I don’t know what to tell my children when they come back from school. My husband was the sole breadwinner of our family,” said Jane Anyango, one of the widows.
Addressing journalists at the scene, Kisumu County Commissioner John Elungata said the clashes were as a result of cattle rustling.
“Both sides of the administration should calm down and focus on how to unite the two communities,” he said, adding that no arrests had been made.
