Panic in Baringo, Kenya as armed raiders shoot retired chief dead

Baringo, Kenya:Tension remains high at Loruk village after a retired chief was allegedly shot dead by armed cattle raiders.

According to the residents, an unknown number of attackers ambushed the former senior chief Wilson Chepungei outside his house yesterday morning and killed him, but left without stealing anything from the former civil servant.

Confirming the incident, Baringo County Commissioner Peter Okwanyo said security officers have been dispatched to Loruk to trace and arrest the criminals who reportedly fled towards Kadingding village in the neighbouring Tiaty constituency.

"It's true our former chief was waylaid and killed by criminals Sunday morning. A contingent of security officers are in hot pursuit of the attackers," said Mr Okwanyo.

The county commissioner said investigations have been launched to establish the motive of the attack.

Following the attack, residents are said to have started fleeing their homes in fear of more raids and are now camping several kilometres from the area where the incident occurred.

Hundreds killed

The killing happened barely a week after a peace caravan spearheaded by political leaders from the North Rift toured Kagir in the same locality and urged displaced families to return to their homes assuring them of their safety.

He joins a list of about 188 people allegedly killed by cattle rustlers since 2005 in Baringo North and Baringo South sub-counties. Thousands of residents have also been displaced and property worth billions of shillings lost as a result of the attacks.

Residents now want the national government to roll out a comprehensive disarmament campaign in the region to mop up all illegal guns which have partly been blamed for the sporadic attacks. The slain administrator is said to have among a team of community leaders involved in the search for a lasting solution to the boundary disputes between Pokot and Tugen communities.

Two weeks ago, leaders from Baringo, Turkana, Samburu and West Pokot counties met with President Uhuru Kenyatta at State House Nairobi to seek ways of ending the conflict after more than 60 people were killed in Nadome in Baringo County.