• The early morning raid is part of the resurgent inter-clan conflict in Northern Kenya that started in 2005.
• Three suspected had been arrested and arraigned.
Image: DOUGLAS OKIDDY
Roba Diba would probably be dead now or fighting for his life in hospital had he been at home in Manyatta Konso village, Marsabit, on May 24.
But is he glad to be alive? What does he have to live for?
His home was raided, his wife and first-born son killed, two other sons grievously injured in clan clashes that have shaken Marsabit as long as anyone can remember.
The two sons were flown to Nairobi's Kenyatta National Hospital. On Tuesday, the Star visited their ward and caught up with a frail Diba helplessly watching his children fight for their lives.
The 47-year-old man was more than 570km away in Nairobi's Ruaraka area when the attackers struck. He believes the attackers must have come from the Borana, the majority tribe of Marsabit county inhabitants.
For decades they have been locked in clan fights with the Gabra, Rendile and Burji minorities over pasture, water and politics.
At KNH, Diba's eyes moved from one son to another, one aged eight, one six.
Both had been shot. The elder boy was shot twice in the leg but it was the shot to the spine that paralysed him. A kidney was ruptured. One bullet remains in his upper abdominal cavity.
The youngest boy was shot in the right ear, the bullet exiting through the right eye.
"I don't know what I can tell you. My family was virtually wiped out and these children left orphans," Diba said trying to fight back tears.
"I work in Nairobi and whatever I earn I always send to their mother to take care of them. Now their mum is gone and they are left disabled."
Diba's thoughts appeared to move into a distant place, probably in search of answers to what to do next. He was dazed.
Lost. But the head of what's left of his family has to collect himself.
Relatives have begun fundraising to pay a huge medical bill.
Next to Diba is Diramu Waqo. The 24-year-woman is caring for a nephew, seven, who was stabbed on the right side of his chest. A bullet ruptured his lung.
Diramu witnessed the attack and also was traumatised.d
"It was around six in the morning and I heard young men attack our manyatta with intense shooting," she said.
Diramu was with two nephews in her house when it was attacked. They hid under the bed but the boy was hit.
"The previous day some young men had promised to attack our manyatta which has 34 households and I had asked my sister-in-law to come to be with us that night. She refused," Diramu said.
The sister-in-law was killed by the attackers. Her son is the nephew hospitalised at KNH.
Three suspects connected to the attack have been arraigned in court.
(Edited by Peter Obuya)