Residents of Mutaragon in Kipkelion West, Kericho County, engaged in protests as they torched property in anger following the death of a General Service Unit officer in the area.
The GSU officer, who was a fresh graduate, succumbed to his injuries following a physical altercation with one of the workers at a local bar.
Witnesses claim the GSU officer was rushed to hospital after he sustained a potentially fatal cut from the fight. He was later transferred to a different medical facility in Kericho but succumbed to his injuries.
Upon finding out of the young officer's death, residents of Mutaragon descended into chaos, as they destroyed property linked to the owner of the ill-fated bar.
The residents torched the owner's bar and a nearby school in a seemingly retaliatory attack, with some other houses also catching fire in the process.
One family is counting losses after the fire seeped into their property, razing goods and assets worth hundreds of thousands.
"The fire went from the school to my house," one victim recounted, adding, "It burnt my whole house down. I tried to put it out but angry people chased me away."
According to the despairing victim, the fire burnt down her produce, a motorcycle, and at least Ksh100,000 which she had inside her house.
By the time authorities arrived to restore calm in the area, damage had already been done, hours after the GSU officer, identified as Ezekiel Bett, succumbed to his injuries.
Two people - the bar owner and Bett's assailant, have since been arrested as investigations into the incident continue.
Incidentally, another incident in Nairobi on the morning of Sunday, January 23 saw a police officer fatally shoot his colleague.
According to a police report obtained by Kenyans.co.ke, the two officers were leaving an entertainment joint when an altercation ensued.
The deceased officer, who is attached to the General Service Unit, was in the company of his brother when an argument with his colleague ensued.
