Police in Kakamega are searching for suspects believed to have torched 15 houses in Navakholo in revenge for the killing of a teenager.
They destroyed crops, attacked livestock before setting houses on fire.
The suspects, who fled to Mumias after the incident, are said to have descended upon the homes of those they suspected to have been involved in the killing of Kevin Mutenyo, 18, at Emukaya village on Saturday.
Mutenyo was attacked during a disco matanga in the village. His body was discovered in a pool of blood with private parts chopped off.
Mutenyo's parents said police failed to conduct thorough investigations that would have brought to book the killers of their son.
"The police are not serious in their investigations. They have not told us where they have reached with investigations so far. We are afraid that we will not get justice for our son,” Samson Mutenyo, Kevin′s father said.
Outgoing Navakholo police boss Jacob Chelimo said the youth will be arrested and charged in court with the offences of arson and damage to property.
"We are liaising with the community and we have established that the suspects are hiding in Mumias and it is a matter of time before we arrest them," Chelimo said.
The incident came barely two months after a mob killed three family members in Shinoyi village in the same subcounty.
The man and his two sons were accused of being part of a group involved in hacking and killing high school principal Ernest Opwondo.
According to Luhya tradition, a person or persons accused of participating in the death of another has his houses burnt and banished from the community.
Martin Wanyama, a resident, said what happened on Saturday was in line with the traditions whenever someone is murdered in cold blood.
“What happened is not a crime. Houses of the suspected killers and their property must be destroyed to appease the ancestors before the dead are buried. This is to discourage other people from killing,” Wanyama said.
Sometimes, the suspected killers are banished from society and their history erased.
Navakholo deputy county commissioner Geoffrey Tanui said the incident of razing down the houses will be treated as a crime.
“It’s a crime for wananchi to take law in their own hands. What they did is wrong and the law will take its course,” Tanui said.
He advised the family of the deceased and the locals to remain calm and allow the police to do their job.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris
