KDF officer dead and six others injured after their car overturns in Lamu county

Lamu, Kenya: One Kenya Defense Force (KDF) died on the spot and six sustained serious injuries after a vehicle they were travelling in rolled several times at Mukunumbi area, along the Witu/ Lamu road, Lamu County.

Four of the six injured were in serious condition and they have all been airlifted to Nairobi for specialised treatment, area county assistant commissioner David Bowen confirmed.

The KDF are in Lamu to aid the police and other security agencies to flush out militants that have in the last one month terrorized residents in both Lamu and Tana River Counties leading to the death of an estimated 100 people.

On Friday night the gunmen attacked a bus heading to Lamu from Mombasa near Witu Township killed eight people and the government has placed a curfew and ban on night travel as both the paramilitary and police pursue the attackers into Boni forest where the police believe they are hiding.

An eyewitness said that the driver of the land cruiser that the KDF officers were travelling in was over speeding and that he lost control while he was negotiating a sharp corner at Mukunumbi.

The eye witness said that the accident occurred at around 6 pm last evening.

Mr. Bowen said that the military officers were on patrol in Kibaoni area and they were heading to Lamu when the accident occurred.

He dispelled rumours that the officers were attacked by militia stating that the incident was a road accident.

“Four of the six injured officers were in a critical condition and have been airlifted to Nairobi for specialised treatment after receiving first aid at Mpeketoni sub district hospital,” said Mr. Bowen.

Police have already issued a curfew in the area and the forces were expected to start a massive ground operation to flush out the attackers that have since killed people and destroyed properties in Mpeketoni, Hindi and Gamba police stations.