4 students were killed after being ambushed by bandits in Songa, Marsabit County at around 6:00 pm on Monday, June 8 as they rode home on a motorbike.
The incident has sparked uproar with growing calls for justice, even as residents accuse police of inaction in the face of relentless attacks from bandits over the years.
Rowdy protests were witnessed in Karare ward on Tuesday, May 9 as furious residents lit tires on fire paralyzing traffic on the Marsabit-Isiolo road, forcing police to intervene.
A police report seen by Kenyans.co.ke indicated that the students were riding from Marsabit town to Songa when they were suddenly attacked by bandits who emerged at Badasa Water Point.
The students were reported to have been riding on a blue motorcyle, with the bandits said to have fled into the shadows after the attack.
Nchuchu Mosor, aged 23 years, was the rider of the motorbike. He rode with 25-year-old Peter Obeile, 23-year-old Jessica Leado and 17-year-old Dan Lantare.
One of those killed was a fourth-year student at Kenyatta University, another a student at Tangaza University College, another a Form 2 student and one had earlier completed Class Eight. 3 of the victims were male with one female.
Their bodies were taken from the scene to Marsabit County Referral Hospital, awaiting the post-mortem examinations.
Among those who called for authorities to take action to investigate the matter was Narok Senator Ledama Ole Kina.
"Everyone must respect the rule of law! The killing of four young students in Karare ward, Marsabit County must be Condemned! Everyone in Kenya deserves to be protected by the state. Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i, State House, Chief Justice David Maraga, these four are too young to die for nothing," he wrote on Tuesday, June 9.
Abed Lolokuru, a Human Resources professional from the area, revealed that the attacks had become common over the past thirty years, with little effort made to bolster security.
He explained that the emerging 'Rendile Lives Matter' movement was pushing for the protection of lives and property in the area from such attacks.
"This has gone on for more than 3 decades now. Always losing people in similar cases and yet not one culprit has ever been brought to book. It is blood shed in cold murder every time and yet there are no efforts to cease it," he stated.
