Kakamega: 2 Brothers Fighting for Trees on Their Father's Land Shot Dead

 

Two siblings in Eregi died by gunshots in the evening of Saturday, February 10, after a prolonged feuding over trees on their ancestral land. File image of a logger felling a tree (image for illustration purposes). Ronald and Patrick Sishanya had not read from the same script regarding the trees, of which each claimed ownership. The disagreement between the duo of blood brothers escalated as they picked machetes against each other, prompting intervention by the local law enforcers. How Kakamega brothers' fight for trees turned tragic Citizen TV reports that the squabbling between the duo had been there for a while, culminating in the double tragedy. One of them, who resides in Nairobi, arrived home to discuss the contentious issue, but his brother, who had already contracted a logger, would get none of it. The area assistant chief had sat them for a meeting, all to no avail. They started baying for each other's blood after failing to realise a common ground after all. Law enforcers acting on a tip-off showed up at the home to quell the ugly events. The brothers, however, extended their attacks to the police who started shooting, fatally wounding them in the process. "My brother-in-law came with a logger to fell the trees, but my husband refused, demanding that they sit down and discuss about it. He was determined to cut down the trees...We then heard gunshots, and my husband was killed," said a jaded widow to one of the deceased.  One of the officers and family members sustained severe injuries; the deceased bodies were ferried to the Mbale Hospital Mortuary as investigations began. Separately, still on wrangles over trees, a Kisumu widow lost her left eye in a near-lethal attack by her brother-in-law. Kisumu widow injured over fallen husband's trees. Janet Langa, hailing from Nyaori in Nyalenda, Kisumu county, was brutally assaulted by her late husband's brother Isaac Onditi following a disagreement between them. The 40-year-old woman had questioned Onditi about cutting the trees at the homestead and dissipating the proceeds without sharing them with her. In the heat of the moment, Onditi descended on Langa before throwing a pair of pliers on her face. "Janet Langa was attacked by her brother-in-law in the Nyaori area, Nyalenda for questioning him why he cut home trees and sold them but he would not give her any cent. The matter was reported to Kasagam Police Station as the mother of three got admitted to the Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital," said a source.  The matter was reported at Kasagam Police Station and booked under OB 11/14/03/2023, with the Kisumu county commissioner picking up the matter. 

by  Kai Eli