The Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) has dispatched a Rapid Response Team to Angama Mara in Narok County to investigate a deadly police shooting incident.
The Thursday morning incident reportedly left at least one person dead and seven others injured.
The violence erupted after police opened fire on a group accused of invading land within the Angama Conservancy, located in Lolkuruk village.
While official police reports confirm a single fatality, residents claim that up to three people may have been killed in the confrontation.
In a statement released Friday, IPOA Chairperson Issack Hassan confirmed the deployment of investigators, citing Section 7(1)(a)(x) of the IPOA Act, which mandates the authority to investigate deaths and serious injuries resulting from police action.
“In line with the provisions of the law, the dispatched team has been instructed to gather all information relevant to uncovering the circumstances surrounding the incident,” Hassan said.
He extended condolences to the families of the victims and urged local residents to remain calm and allow due legal processes to unfold.
“IPOA will make appropriate recommendations to the relevant State agencies and will update the public on its findings upon conclusion of investigations,” he added.
Hassan also emphasised IPOA's commitment to impartiality and independence, assuring the public of a fair and apolitical investigation.
The violence stems from a long-standing land dispute involving a property said to belong to a former local politician and encompassing a popular luxury hotel.
The contested land, estimated at around 800 acres, has recently been at the centre of rising tensions.
According to police, approximately 300 people stormed the land at around 2 a.m. on Wednesday, June 4, claiming the conservancy had been “illegally acquired” and asserting ownership of the property.
The group was reportedly armed with various weapons and refused to vacate the premises, despite several attempts at negotiation.
Authorities deployed multiple security units, including the General Service Unit (GSU), Anti-Stock Theft Unit, Rapid Deployment Unit, and local police officers, in an attempt to remove the group. However, the standoff escalated, culminating in Thursday’s violent encounter.
