Five killed, livestock stolen in Kerio Valley revenge attacks

 

Five people have been killed and one seriously injured while an unknown number of livestock has been stolen in retaliatory attacks between two pastoral communities in Kerio Valley.

The attacks have claimed the lives of 12 people in the last two weeks.

The latest incident took place around midday on Saturday in Kaben after suspected bandits from Tiaty in Baringo County crossed Kerio River and launched a retaliatory attack on herders before taking away more than 200 cattle and 60 goats.

Elgeyo Marakwet County Commissioner Ahmed Omar said the more than 100 bandits were on a revenge mission after people from Elgeyo Marakwet on Friday raided Kolowa in baringo and killed two people from Pokot and one from the Marakwet side.

University student

Dr Omar said one of the people who was killed on Saturday was a 22-year-old Laikipia University student. The injured person is admitted to Endo Mission Hospital.

“We are having a report of more than 100 raiders from Pokot who killed two people and took an unspecified number of livestock. The family says they are more than 200 but sometimes they exaggerate the figures. This is a revenge to what happened on Friday where our Marakwet youths crossed over and killed two people in Kolowa and one of them (youths) also died there,” Dr Omar said by phone.

Dr Omar disclosed that the stolen livestock were driven to Cheptulel in Pokot Central, West Pokot and Ng’oron in Tiaty, Baringo County.

Spiritual leaders from the warring pastoral communities have been blamed for fueling the attacks by offering blessing to the bandits before they stage the raids.

Oaths on bandits

“The spiritual leaders administer oaths and offer blessing to the bandits who participate in the attacks,” said Rift Valley Regional Commissioner George Natemblya during a security meeting in Tot last Wednesday.

He asked spiritual leaders, popularly referred to as Laibon, to surrender or risk arrest over the fresh attacks.

“The law will act tough against individuals who fuel the armed conflicts irrespective of their position in the society,” warned Mr Natembeya.

The naming of suspects behind recurrent cattle raids and ultimatum by the government for people to surrender illegal firearms has triggered fresh attacks among the warring pastoral communities.

Among those who have been killed in the attacks are two peace committee members from Endo in Marakwet East. They were shot dead last week by suspected Pokot bandits who are among those on the wanted list.

Notorious bandits

A list of nine notorious bandits — three from Pokot Central, three from Marakwet East and three from Tiaty in Pokot East — were handed over to the security team last month following series of peace meetings.

“We have decided to name and shame those who are behind instability in the area. We cannot allow a few criminals to reverse the gains made by the prevailing peace in the region. They must be arrested, alive or dead,” said Marakwet East MP Kangogo Bowen during a past peace meeting held at Chesogon market.

The naming of the suspects triggered suspicion and fear among the pastoralists and the attackers have turned their guns on members of the peace committee which was formed to foster a harmonious relationship among the warring groups.     BY DAILY NATION