A middle-aged man stormed the Kitui County Textile Centre (KICOTEC) brandishing a gun and demanded the safety masks that are produced at the revamped factory.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, April 14, Kitui County Police Commander (CPC) Johanna Tonui, confirmed the incident, going on to reveal that the lone gunman was subdued before he was able to harm any of the frightened workers.
According to the police report, the women working at the textile factory were extremely traumatised following the incident.
The staff, who work in three eight-hour shifts, narrated the horrific ordeal to the officers who came to their rescue just in time, with one of them reportedly claiming that the gunman threatened to do anything necessary to get the masks
The Kitui CPC also revealed that the man was currently being detained at the Kitui Central Police Station, awaiting arraignment.
He went on to disclose that they were yet to establish the motive behind the daring incident, and that investigations were currently underway.
KICOTEC recently made international news after its overnight transition into the production of surgical masks.
US publication Washington Post on Wednesday, April 8 reported that the factory had specialised in the production of gardening clothes, uniforms, mats, and napkins, was now producing 30,000 surgical masks a day.
Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu had earlier stated that rather than the country wait on donations from other countries, local industries ought to step up because the country has the resources.
"Let's not wait and wonder. We import everything and produce nothing, despite having all the resources at our disposal," she stated.
