- The man was rushed to Baringo Referral Hospital with the bullet lodged in his left thigh.
- On Thursday, Natembeya issued a shoot-to-kill order against armed bandits in the entire North Rift.
Image: JOSEPH KANGOGO
Image: JOSEPH KANGOGO
Suspected bandits ignored Rift Valley regional commissioner George Natembeya’s shoot-to-kill order and attacked Chemorong’ion, Baringo South subcounty, on Saturday.
They shot a 20-year-old man, Samuel Kandagor, injuring him on the thigh before fleeing with 15 cattle belonging to teacher Wilson Kandie.
“The man was rushed to Baringo Referral Hospital with the bullet lodged in his left thigh. Doctors say he is stable,” Arabal location chief William Koech said on Sunday.
Koech said the bandits stormed around 5pm, sprayed the herders with bullets before driving away the animals being watered at Chemorong’ion pan dam.
They led the stolen stock towards Chepkalacha and Tangulbei in neighbouring Tiaty subcounty.
“But they were all recovered later after pursuit by police officers with the help of area residents,” he said.
On Thursday, Natembeya issued a shoot-to-kill order against armed bandits in the entire North Rift.
“Fire arm for firearm. You kill a Kenyan with your gun then expect also to be killed. Bandits are not the only ones who know how to kill,” he said.
He added that whoever held an illegal firearm and used it to kill an innocent person had got no right to live.
The regional commissioner addressed the media after holding a closed-door security meeting at the Kenya School of Government in Kabarnet town.
“We want law and order restored so our people can live peacefully in their homes without fearing attacks,” Natembeya said.
Baringo South police commander Bonjolive Munuve said the shoot-to-kill order was normal.
“It is obvious when one comes across someone armed with a gun aimed at killing, then you must shoot before he shoots you and that is what our security officers have exactly been doing to these armed bandits,” Munuve said.
He said enough officers had been deployed to beef up security in the area, but operations were always difficult due to poor terrain and heavy rain.
“Our officers managed to recover the stolen animals but they could not find the armed bandits who disappeared into thick bushes” Munuve said.
This month alone, six people have been killed by the suspected bandits, four injured and over 800 residents displaced.
Security urgencies are being urged to contain the ongoing retaliatory attacks among the warring Pokot, Tugen and Ilchamus pastoral communities in the volatile parts of Tiaty, Baringo North and Baringo South subcounties.
Among the worst hit areas are Chemoe, Yatya, Kagir and Ngratuko in Baringo North and Arabal, Kapndasum, Mukutani, Kasiela and Sirata in Baringo South.
On Saturday, a section of county leaders broke the Covid-19 rules to address a crowd in Kabarnet town to demand immediate transfer of commissioner Henry Wafula, accusing him of inefficiency.
Among the Jubilee leaders were Governor Stanley Kiptis, Baringo North MP William Cheptumo, his Baringo South counterpart Charles Kamuren, county assembly speaker David Kiplagat and deputy governor Jacob Chepkwony.
They gathered people outside the county assembly buildings accusing Wafula of ordering the arrest of Bartabwa MCA Reuben Chepsongol on Friday.
“Instead of implementing Natembeya’s shoot-to-kill order Wafula is busy arresting elected leaders, who are lawfully executing their representation, legislation and oversight roles,” Cheptumo said.
They gave President Uhuru Kenyatta seven days to transfer the commissioner or assign him other duties in Nairobi.
Edited by Henry Makori