8 Shot Dead in Ambush Attack

An undated photo of a person holding a gun.
An undated photo of a person holding a gun.
File

Grief has gripped families in Baringo County after eight people were shot dead in an ambush attack.

The incident, which occurred on the afternoon of Saturday, February 26, also left an unidentified number of people fighting for their lives after sustaining injuries.

Confirming the incident, Baringo Deputy County Commissioner Jackton Orieny noted that two minors were among the eight individuals who were shot dead.

He further added that the incident occurred when Pokot herders, together with their animals, had gone to the grazing fields in Marakwet East Sub-County.

Newly appointed Rift Valley Commissioner Mohamed Ahmed Maalim
Newly appointed Rift Valley Commissioner Mohamed Ahmed Maalim.
file

The herders were later ambushed by attackers who stole some of the livestock belonging to the Pokot herders.

The incident comes just months after the government, through the Ministry of Interior, vowed to restore peace in the troubled region.

When he assumed office as the new Rift Valley Regional Commissioner, Maalim Mohamed announced that he  was committed to security as top agenda.

He further narrowed down to Kerio Valley as a conflicted zone and vowed to stump out bandits and restore peace in the area.

“Out of the 14 Counties in this region, only three namely Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo and West Pokot have major insecurity challenges and I commit to solve that problem.

"The main call of this office is to protect lives and property and have the machinery to do so," he stated.

It is estimated that over 50 people have been shot dead in the region in a span of just five months as bandits run the show in the volatile area.

To contain the situation, the state is seeking to use drones in an attempt to monitor armed bandits who steal livestock and disappear.

Former Rift Valley Commissioner,George Natembeya and Interior CS Fred Matiang'i
Former Rift Valley Commissioner,George Natembeya and Interior CS Fred Matiang'i
Citizen TV
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