• Police boss says they will step up security
• Residents want more reservists armed
Gunmen have killed a resident of Matabithi village, Tigania East, and left another person nursing gunshot wounds.
Mwiti Chokera died on the spot on Sunday night, while Lucas Nkunja was taken to Isiolo Referral Hospital. The latest attack has heightened tension. Security agencies moved in to contain the situation.
Residents blamed a neighbouring community. They said the attack was staged to scare villagers to escape and leave their land for the neighbours. They urged the national government to arm more police reservists to boost security.
“If it were not for my efforts to fire in retaliation towards the attackers, many people could have been killed,” police reservist Gitonga said.
"They thought it was a shootout, got scared and ran away. We ask area MP to add more KPR officers because we only have one here."
Betty Kalayu said she escaped death narrowly.
“I saw the Borana attackers invade our areas. They shot randomly. My sister ran into her house, but I could not. I slipped and lay flat on the ground. I did not know he had seen me. He continued aiming at me,” she said.
I fervently prayed and asked God to save my life for the sake of my children.Betty Kalayu
“I fervently prayed and asked God to save my life for the sake of my children. I’m their sole breadwinner after their father was killed. I crawled then ran to safety.”
She said Mwiti told her he could not sleep while there was a shootout outside. He left his house only to be found dead.
“Mwiti was shot in the neck. The bullet came out through the mouth. His front teeth were crushed. Nkunja was shot in the stomach. We carried him in a blanket, to prevent his intestines from falling, and took him to KDF's 78 Battalion where he was rushed to Isiolo Hospital in an ambulance. He was in critical condition," Betty said.
She warned the Boranas that attacking and killing them will not make them automatic heirs of their ancestral land. "It won’t happen. Where will we go anyway?”
Police boss Samuel Kosgei said they will step up security.
On Sunday, Meru Senator Mithika Linturi and Igembe North MP Maoka Maore appealed to the national government to issue guns to reservists to boost security. This came after rustlers killed six residents of Amwathi, Igembe North.
The leaders said it was painful to lose people to criminals. Maoka urged the county commander and county commissioner to drive out camels and cattle owned by the Borana community from their grazing fields.
“We want guns to guard helpless villagers and property. We don’t have any grass for Borana camels and cows in this area,” he said.