Tension high in villages after bandits steal goats

A herd of goats. [Boniface Gikandi, Standard]

Tension is still high in Kakiteitei, Katilia, Kaimegur areas of Turkana East and South, after armed bandits raided the villages and stole over 1,200 goats.

The Tuesday evening attack happened after weeks of calm, which encouraged locals who had fled the banditry-prone areas, to return to their homes during the Christmas and New Year festivities.

According to locals, the estimated more than 100 bandits suspected to be from a neighbouring county, opened fire indiscriminately for over two hours, and in its wake, 1,200 goats had been stolen.

Loriu Esekon, a resident of Turkana East, who also lost his goats during the evening attack, said the area is tense and many families are considering fleeing the troubled villages barely a month after returning. "Locals in the affected area are disadvantaged because they are not armed, but the livestock thieves are more armed than the police," says Esekon.

Turkana County Commissioner Jacob Ouma said security had been beefed up following the attack.

Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai warned perpetrators and financiers of banditry attacks targeting residents and called for urgent intervention by the national government.

"Our people are peace-loving, and we have agreed to let the government deal with this problem," he said.