Baringo Senator William Cheptumo has promised to adopt baby Shirleen, the only survivor from a family that was attacked and killed by bandits in the Chemoe Area in Baringo County two weeks ago.
The Senator promised to take the child under his wing at the final send-off of the other family members during which he sensationally stated that the government should deal ruthlessly with bandits instead of arresting them.
Cheptumo, while making the remarks charged that the bandits have caused enough pain and suffering to families in the region, which he used as a justification for his proposal calling for extreme measures.
“The long arm of the government will hunt them down, and the only way to deal with them is to kill them,” Cheptumo stated.
The father, mother, brother, and nephew of the surviving child were laid to rest in Bartabwa in Baringo, where several leaders present promised to rein on bandits.
“Security agencies here in Baringo, County Commissioner, County Police Commander, County Intelligence Officer, we have to tell you, there is a problem in the way you work,” another leader stated.
The four family members were killed after bandits ambushed them in Bartabwa ward, as they were on their way to a family get-together.
At the time, police responding to the incident found the 4-year-old girl unconscious, lying next to her mother’s lifeless body covered in blood.
Interior CS Kithure Kindiki has in the past 8 months deployed more security officers to banditry-prone areas through the Maliza Uhalifu operation.
Kindiki also vowed that the national government would crack down on administration officers and any other person aiding and abetting banditry through financing.
CS Kindiki is on record stating that these efforts have resulted in a 70 per cent reduction in banditry, particularly within the North Rift region.
A fresh wave of insecurity incidents has however cropped up in the Kerio Valley region, raising alarm among residents who are pleading with the authorities to manage the security situation in the region once and for all.
