Three people were killed and one injured after suspected armed bandits attacked Kapau in Tiaty subcounty near Kapedo along the Turkana-Baringo border on Monday.
The deceased are the wives of Lodomong Todokapel–Chepochechento and Chepkogh–and a five-year-old girl.
“The women were heading home when the bandits shot them around 6pm. They then fled without stealing any livestock, meaning they were just after life,” Tirioko MCA Sam Lokales said on Tuesday.
The sister of one of the deceased women was rushed to Baringo County Referral Hospital in Kabarnet town in critical condition where she is currently nursing a bullet wound on her lower abdomen.
County commissioner Henry Wafula and police commander Robinson Ndiwa were reluctant to comment on the incident.
“I am not aware and I have said over and over that I don’t rely on mere propaganda, especially from MCAs,” Wafula said.
Ndiwa said he only heard of the three women being shot but was "not in a position to comment". Actually, the attack happened in Kapedo, Turkana side, not in Baringo,” he said.
Lokales criticised the security officers saying they should stop being ignorant and work to save the lives of the people suffering on the ground.
“I understand they are currently engaged in the matters on Building Bridges Initiative but it is high time they shelved politics and got back to work,” he said.
The ward representative noted that this was the sixth attack since August accusing the county security team of ignoring reports even after informing them several times.
On November 5, suspected bandits raided Atirir and Chepkilowon villages in Tirioko ward, Tiaty, killing two herders before driving away some 4,000 goats, 300 cows and 70 camels belonging to six families.
Lokales, who doubles as the assembly Minority leader, said a majority of Turkana herders were armed with AK-47 rifles, “whereas our own Pokots are just carrying mere sticks”.
He was backed by the assembly Deputy Speaker Ameja Zelemoi (Churo-Amaya), Nelson Lotela (Silale) and Shedrack Mailuk (Tangulbei-Korossi).
Lotela noted another incident last week where suspected bandits shot dead a 12-year old boy in the area and made away with 50 camels.
“We cannot sit back and watch as our people are robbed of their only source of livelihood and being rendered poor,” Lotela said.
Apart from the frequent bandit attacks, the MCAs blamed unresolved boundary disputes between the warring Pokot and Turkana pastoral communities for the persistent attacks.
They, however, appealed to the Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i to intervene and address the inter-tribal clashes at the disputed border.
Edited by R.Wamochie
