Police in Bungoma have launched a manhunt for a gang terrorising and killing security guards manning restaurants in the county.
The gang, suspected to be from neighbouring Uganda, has killed close to six watchmen in the past two months in Chwele, Kimilili, Misikhu and Tongaren.
It has also left others nursing serious injuries.
The gang members flee on motorbikes after committing the crimes and are usually armed with pangas, machetes and axes among other weapons.
They beat up and kill the guards before robbing the restaurants off cash, television sets and sound systems, liquor and other accessories.
Bungoma leaders led by Senator Moses Wetang'ula have decried the escalating insecurity, saying police need to contain the situation before more lives are lost.
Wetang'ula urged Interior CS Fred Matiang'i and Bungoma county commissioner Samuel Kimiti to ensure the suspects who have inflicted fear and tension in residents are arrested.
"Investors might begin shying away from investing here if police don't contain the escalating insecurity," he said.
Bungoma DCI commander Joseph Onsoro admitted numerous insecurity cases have rocked the county in the recent past.
"We have had security guards who man several entertainment joints being killed in cold blood and items stolen," he said.
He urged residents to remain calm, saying police have launched a manhunt and will soon arrest the perpetrators.
"I want to thank the public for giving us information that helped police last month to recover an AK 47 riffle from one of the gang members in Mt Elgon after a tip off," he said.
Onsoro said police are pursuing close links that will lead to the arrest of the suspects.
"We are monitoring some CCTV footages from the premises that have been broken into and we are also working close with Ugandan security agents. We believe we shall soon arrest this people," he said.
"We want to assure our residents that we are alert and that the insecurity incidents that have rocked us for the last one month have been reduced with our probe," he said.
Onsoro said two weeks ago, police in Uganda arrested some criminals who had stolen computers and laptops from a school in Tongaren after they sneaked them there for sale.
The police boss also urged residents not to fear sharing information with them that will lead to the arrest of the thugs, saying they will treat the information with confidentiality.
He also warned rogue police officers collaborating with thugs to terrorise residents that their days are numbered.
"If you are a police [officer] and liaising with criminals, know that once arrested, the law will have no mercy on you," he said.
Ken Simiyu, a resident of Kimilili, said police have been slow to respond to distress calls when called at night.
He added that thugs have been taking advantage of the curfew to harass residents.
-Edited by SKanyara
