- Mandago said the dispute over the Kiplombe Nine Farms which measures more than 5,339 acres, was turning ugly.
- Said the KDF wanted to take over the land from more than 1,000 families who had lived in the area for over 50 years.
Image: BY MATHEWS NDANYI
Governor Jackson Mandago and other leaders in Uasin Gishu have asked President Uhuru Kenyatta to urgently intervene in the land row involving KDF and the community near Moi Barracks in Eldoret.
The dispute saw two people shot dead and four others injured on Christmas Day.
Mandago who read a statement on behalf of the county leaders said the dispute over the Kiplombe Nine Farms which measures more than 5,339 acres, was turning ugly and that the KDF wanted to take over the land from more than 1,000 families who had lived in the area for over 50 years.
“We demand that as Commander In Chief, he should condemn the killings and cause an audit to be done of the KDF officers involved in frustrating the community with complete disregard to the law,” he said.
He said they want the President to stop intimidation, illegal arrests and detentions of civilians who live on the land he claimed they fully owned as per records from both the KDF, National Land Commission and other agencies.
The leaders who also included Turbo MP Janet Kosgey said they want independent and proper investigations into the Christmas Day killings allegedly by KDF officers who had gone to the area to illegally survey the land belonging to the community.
“We also demand an identification parade of the KDF and Kenya Ordinance Factories Corporation involved in the incident that led to the killing,” the governor said.
He said Chief of Defence Forces Robert Kibochi should explain under which circumstances the KDF officers who are supposed to protect Kenyans from external aggression attacked and killed unarmed Kenyans
Mandago was also accompanied by elders Joseph Kitoret, David Kebenei, Sammy Birech and MCA David Singo'ei who represented the community.
The Uasin Gishu leaders asked the DPP, Kenya National Commission on Human Rights and IPOA to carry out investigations into the incident so that officers found culpable are brought to book.
They said KDF, NLC and the survey department must also be held liable for the killings and the injuries caused during the incident.
Police in Eldoret said they are investigating the killing.
The two victims were shot dead during the confrontation between KDF officers, police and the local community as the officers moved in to rescue their KDF colleagues who had been surrounded and locked up by residents in a school on the disputed land.
A situation report from the Soy police station said Sgt Mark Ronoh of Soy police station reported at around 1130 hrs on Saturday December 25, 2021, that he was in the company of Kenya Defence Force's officers from the Kenya Ordinance Factory, who have been conducting survey on their land occupied by members of the public since December 23, 2021.
The exercise started at Kebeswet, Jerusalem and Tanzania area and on Saturday, the team went to Chebarus in Kiplombe location in Turbo subcounty, where they met resistance from residents who occupy the land.
The KDF officers, who were accompanied by police officers from Soy said they tried to talk to the residents not to interfere with the exercise but they did not listen.
The OB report at the Soy police station further indicated that the resident came to Chebarus primary school where the main beacon is, and closed the gate of the school. They then started pelting the officers with stones.
“The Commanding Officer, Kenya Ordinance Factory went to the scene and tried to talk to the residents but they were not ready to listen to him,” the report said.
With reinforcement from 9 KR Moi barracks, the officers had to use force to leave the school compound where they were held at around 1600 hrs.
The police officers from Soy police station used tear gas to disperse the residents. The ammunition expended by the KDF officers is yet to be established.
According to the report, there were two fatalities— Joel Kibet Keter, 53, who had a bullet wound on the left thigh and Eliud Menjo, 47, who had a bullet through the mouth which exited on the back of the head.
Those injured were identified as Joan Chepchirchir, 19, who sustained a bullet wound in the stomach and Edwin Kiplimo, 20, who was shot in the leg.
The third injured person was Kennedy Kiptarus, 20, who had an injury on the head caused by a blunt object.
They were evacuated to Moi Teaching and Referral hospital for treatment.
The police statement also said several vehicles belonging to Kenya Ordinance Factory were damaged.
Uasin Gishu police commander Ayub Gitonga said the matter was under investigations.
-Edited by SKanyara