Pain, grief, as Ang'ata Barikoi residents mourn their kin

Family and friends of Isaiya Kipngetich overwhelmed by emotions at home in Angata Barikoi on April 29, 2025. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

Struggling to come to terms with their loss, residents of Kapsinindet village in Ang'ata Barikoi expressed their displeasure with the circumstances that led to the death of their kin.

A brutal police force that descended on the villagers with bullets as they protested against an attempt to grab their 6,800 acres of land on Monday left six of them dead.

The standard found the families in mourning, as they condemned the act, saying those killed were pillars to their families, with very young people who were a hope to the families.

We visited Paul Ngeno, a retired assistant chief of Angata sub-location, who lost his 21-year-old son, a student at Eldoret College studying for social work.

Mr Ngeno said his late son Isaiah Kingetich had just stayed a week at home and was to go back to school on May 10.

"We were with him when we heard screams and gun shots at Angata trading centre, and he decided to go to check what was happening," he said.

"This has pained us so much since it's the government who have taken the life of our son, after he was shot from the back seems he was running away," he added.

Across the family of another 15-year-old, Gideon Kipkorir Koech, a student at Angata high school was also morning with several villagers gathering at the homestead.

The father, John Kirui, and his wife, Nancy, who were attending to moaners at their homestead, said his son suffered from a bullet that hit him on the head, and he was pronounced dead on arrival at Angata hospital.

"This is my firstborn son, whom I left at home, but I received a phone call around noon that he was shot and was being rushed to the hospital, but when we arrived there, he succumbed to the injuries," said Mr Kirui.

He was my only hope; he was the one who assisted me here at home, as my other children are very small, and I am not sure what to tell our president, William Ruto, whom I voted for, how can the government kill my son?

In the next homestead, we met Janet Cherono Parsipen, who lost her husband, Paul Parsipen, 50 years, a father of 6 children.

" My husband was hit by a police bullet despite he was not with the group that was protesting, and later learned he was hit on the head," said the tearful Cherono.

She lamented how she will take care of the children without her husband who was a bread winner to the family.

Others who are in the morning are families of the late Joseph Ronoh, a Teacher at Chelchel Primary School, an 8-year-old child, Morine, and Joseph Cheruyiot, a Farmer from Chelchel village.