Bandits kill three at peace meeting at Turkana East

An armed police reservist escorts some cows in the bandit prone area of Baringo where several people have died following attack from the cattle rustlers. Three people were shot dead after attackers raided a peace event at Lomelo in Turkana East. (PHOTO: BONIFACE THUKU/ STANDARD)

Three people were shot dead after attackers raided a peace event at Lomelo in Turkana East.

Multiple sources from the trading centre situated along the border of Baringo and Turkana counties revealed that armed raiders stormed a peace meeting on Friday and fired indiscriminately at participants.

Yesterday, the bodies of two young men were recovered in the thickets. A woman who escaped with bullet injuries died at Kapedo Health Centre.

Joshua Nalakat, a Pokot peace mediator, said the peace function had been called to discuss procedures of handing over 153 goats stolen on Tuesday from Turkana herders by suspected Pokot cattle rustlers. Describing the incident as unfortunate, the former civic leader urged the warring communities not to retaliate.

"Revenge will never be a solution and that is why as leaders, we appeal to the warring communities to allow elders and security personnel to pursue the matter.

It is painful when innocent people are killed but revenging by killing others is unacceptable,'' Nalakat said.

He said others were injured during the attack that lasted several hours, with women and children being the worst affected.

Tension was high in the area yesterday, with community leaders and Government officials forced to cancel the handing over ceremony that was scheduled for yesterday at Kamuke village.

In a separate incident, a patient was on Friday evening shot dead in Turkana County when a group of bandits shot at a county ambulance.

The ambulance was ferrying the patient from Lokori towards Kapedo when it was attacked at 6.30pm, a few kilometres from Lomelo area of Turkana East.

"The patient was hit on the head and died instantly but the driver and medical staff escaped unhurt," said Turkana County Commandant George Tonui.

Rosemary Nyichei, Turkana County's Director of Public Communication, said the patient had been taken to Kapedo for treatment and was being returned to Lokori where he had been hospitalised previously.

On Thursday, a herder was injured after he was shot on the jaw by armed bandits in Ngulukia in Turkana East.

"The incident occurred after cattle raiders from Baringo attacked Ngulukia village in the early hours of Thursday, driving away 162 goats.

Police officers and national police reservists trailed the bandits and recovered the stolen goats which have been returned to the community," said Tonui.

In Samburu, a lorry driver was shot dead in Lolmorok and his passenger seriously injured after a gang of three armed bandits attacked them

Samburu Central AP Commandant Leonard Chebet said the trail of blood and broken branches at the scene indicates there was a struggle between the deceased and the assailants.

Mr Chebet said the police have launched a manhunt for the assailants. The female passenger is receiving treatment at a Suguta health facility.

- Additional reporting by Michael Saitoti