Tension remains high in Witho village and neighbouring areas of Lamu county following the brutal killings of six people by suspected al Shabaab militants on Sunday night.
The situation is the same for Hindi village in Lamu West following the killing of 62-year-old John Gichoya by suspected militants on Monday, just a day after the six were killed.
Residents have been seen fleeing with their belongings from the areas as fear of more attacks rises in the areas.
Despite the reassurance that security has been heightened, residents have continued to flee their homes to other parts of Lamu.
Residents of Witho, Majembeni, Mkunumbi, Nyatha, Kaisari, Mavuno, Poromoko and surrounding villages have been seen moving out.
A similar scenario has also been witnessed in Bobo, Bobo-Sunkia, Roka Kibiboni and neighbouring villages of Hindi following Monday night’s killing of one person.
Lamu county commissioner Irungu Macharia however assured the residents of their security and called for calm even as security officers comb the areas in pursuit of the attackers.
He said enough officers have been deployed to Witho, Hindi and all other areas towards the Boni forest with a view to secure them.
“We have increased patrols here and have also launched a crackdown for the attackers. Our officers are actively out there because we suspect the attackers are actually al Shabaab terrorists. I call for calm as our officers do this. No need to panic,” Macharia said.
Residents have however questioned why there is Shabaab presence in Lamu despite the heavy presence of security officers undertaking the security operation dubbed Amani Boni.
Johnson Muchoki of Witho village said it was scary that a group of militants can comfortably walk around a village killing people and torching homes without being caught in an area full of security units.
“We cannot stay here because that’s proof enough that we are not safe. Let the government do all it can to secure this place. As for now, we head out to safer areas. My family will be putting up with my relatives in Lamu island,” he said.
This comes even as the Coast Regional Commissioner John Elungata blamed police reservists in the region for failing to respond to the attack that led to the killing of six people in Witho village.
Speaking when he toured the village on Monday, Elungata said there are about 19 reservists within the Witho neighbourhood who should have been able to notice the attackers and either respond promptly or call for backup from other security units.
He said investigations are underway to ascertain the whereabouts of the reservists at the time of attack after which disciplinary action will follow including firing the culpable ones and having their riffles withdrawn.
“If we don’t know where they were at the time of the attack, we will assume they are the ones behind the attack and shall take action against them,” Elungata said.
He warned that state officers will not be allowed to misuse guns given to them by working with criminals.
“We can’t be people that commit crimes with state-owned guns. How can people torch houses and you are around yet you don’t respond. That doesn’t make sense at all,” he added.
-Edited by SKanyara
