Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has broken his silence following the deadly clashes between police officers and civilians in Angara Barrikoi, Narok County.
While terming the incident as unfortunate, Murkomen confirmed that investigations were underway to establish the chain of events which culminated in violent clashes between authorities and civilians.
According to the CS, who spent a majority of his day with security teams from banditry-prone areas, at least five police officers also sustained serious injuries, which were allegedly inflicted by civilians.
Murkomen also claimed to have received reports that five police vehicles were torched in the process.
"Let me start by saying that this is a sad occurrence for us because it is our duty to ensure that lives are protected. These issues should not lead to the loss of life," Murkomen said. "From the information we have, 5 civilians have lost their lives and 5 police officers have been injured. One of the officers has a critical injury with an arrow to his head."
The violence which erupted on Monday stemmed from a dispute about a piece of land, with local residents claiming the historical ownership of the land in question. Protests escalated to violence, leading to the deaths of several civilians.
Murkomen added that while investigations were yet to kick off, all persons involved in the unfortunate incident, including police officers, would be held accountable.
He added, "Investigations are not yet done because we need to establish the circumstances in which the 5 officers died. We need to know whether police were involved and what warranted that kind of force."
"Investigations will also establish the persons who perpetrated these acts against the police officers. We will also deal with every person involved in inciting violence and prompting the use of force."
Murkomen also appeared to suggest that the violence was instigated by what he described as "misguided propaganda" about the land in question, as he promised locals that no one was coming for their land.
Meanwhile, the situation at Angara Barrikoi remained tense on Monday evening, with the Interior CS cautioning residents against escalating the situation further through more protests at night.
Murkomen further reiterated that there would be a heavy presence of police in the area on Monday evening to ensure order is maintained.
