A contingent of administration, regular police and anti-stock theft personnel have been deployed at the volatile border of Baringo South Sub County and Tiaty following the killing of two people among them a standard four pupil by armed cattle rustlers.
The 10-year-old boy was shot on the head and died on the spot while his 71-year-old grandfather succumbed to gunshot wound at a local government hospital where he had been rushed for treatment.
The cattle rustlers, numbering more than 100, and suspected to be from Tiaty sub county, raided Rapatalo and Musura villages and started shooting randomly at the scared villagers, in the process, killing the two victims before fleeing with 300 animals.
Local leaders led by Baringo South MP Charles Kamuren said that this was the third attack in less than six months.
The MP claimed that the cattle rustlers who were in two groups overpowered the villagers and police reservists in the day time fight that lasted for two hours.
He said that one group surrounded the two villages as others drove away the stolen livestock towards the Tiaty area.
According to Kamuren, efforts by the affected community to avert the raid were futile as the security personnel based some two kilometers from the scene of the attack failed to respond to their distress call.
“We are appealing to Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i to tour the affected region and assess for himself the deteriorating security situation on the ground. We are tired of mourning our people because of a few criminal elements,” said Kamuren.
Baringo South Officer Commanding division ( OCPD ) Benjamin Munuve confirmed the incident noting that they were pursuing the attackers who are suspected to have fled towards Baringo East.
He said that they have requested for more officers to be stationed at the banditry probe border of the Baringo South and Tiaty sub counties to enhance security patrols.
Speaking to Mwanahabari.co.ke on phone, Musuve said that plans were under way to establish a permanent police post at the volatile border of the affected villages to avert more attacks related to cattle rustling activities.
The police chief said that bodies of the slain victims have been taken to Kabarnet county referral hospital mortuary.