Five National Police Reservists were yesterday killed by bandits in Baringo South.
Area MP Charles Kamuren asked the government to apply shoot-to-kill order to wipe out the bandits and recover stolen livestock.
The reservists were killed by suspected Pokot bandits.
“It is my appeal to the government to take action against the aggressors, even if it means applying shoot-to-kill order to flush them out,” Kamuren said.
Baringo police commander Robinson Ndiwa confirmed the attack, saying the bandits raided two Tugen manyattas at 3am, killing the reservists on the spot.
“We have already deployed our GSU, RDU and NPR officers to pursue the aggressors who have already driven unknown number of livestock towards Chepkalacha in Tiaty East,” Ndiwa said.
He added: “This happened like a surprise; herders had left their animals to graze freely.”
Kamuren said there was a need for serious disarmament operation. He urged Interior CS Fred Matiang’i to deal with the criminals “mercilessly”.
The legislator said there was no pasture dispute and the raid “was pure scheme of boundary expansion”.
He added: “My constituency helped the government to resettle the displaced victims of insecurity to Mukutani.”
Schools shut since 2005 were reopened and residents have been going about their normal activities, he said.
Kamuren called for calm as the government restored order. He appealed to the government to compensate the families of the fallen reservists and also meet burial expenses.
Marigat-based human rights activist Amos Ol’empaka asked the government to deploy a helicopter to the area for surveillance and pursuit of the bandits who hide in bushes. “More lives could be saved and the livestock may be recovered if swift action shall be taken,” Ol’empaka said.
Last September, two NPR and RDU officers were injured in an ambush by suspected Pokot bandits at Ramacha village. They were accompanying Tugen and Ilchamus residents in a bush-clearing operation to resettle thousands who were displaced by bandit attacks since 2005.
“The officers were conducting normal border patrols when the bandits ambushed them and shot in the air,” Arabal Chief William Koech said.