Driver shot dead, 12 students injured as bandits spay bullets on school bus

The buses were ferrying students of Tot Mixed Day Secondary School from an academic field trip. [Courtesy]

A driver was shot dead and 12 students injured after unknown assailants sprayed bullets on a school bus during a night attack in Kerio Valley.

Two teachers also sustained injuries in the shooting that happened last night near Chesuman Primary School along Arror-Mogil road.

The bus was ferrying students of Tot Mixed Day Secondary School from an academic field trip.

The students were in three buses, one belonging to their institution, one from Kerio Valley Secondary school and another from Mogil Secondary School.

Witnesses said the attackers sprayed bullets on the Mogil Secondary School bus which led the trio at the time of the shooting.

Elgeyo Marakwet police commander Patrick Lumumba said the injured were recuperating at Eldoret-based Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH), Mediheal Hospital and Kapsowar AIC Mission Hospital.

“There is tension in the area. Police officers were deployed to evacuate the injured students and teachers to hospitals. Our officers are still at the scene,” Lumumba said.

MTRH CEO Wilson Aruasa said two students injured in the attack were brought to the facility at 2am on Friday.

“Two students from Tot were brought into the facility with gunshot injuries; one to the chest and the other to the right axilla. Surgery was done and both are stable,” Dr Aruasa said.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i described the attack as an act of negligence, saying the operation of school buses from 6pm was banned and the ban remains in force.