KDF soldiers on weapons’ recovery mission kill 78 cattle

A man looks at the carcass of his two cows which were shot by security agents during the on-going security operation in the area. [ PHOTO:BONIFACE THUKU/STANDARD]

Security officers undertaking the weapons recovery mission in Baringo County, killed 78 cattle in Chesakam area in Tiaty, sparking protests from locals.

It is not clear how the Kenya Defence Forces shot and killed the 78 cows along Chemolingot-Kapedo Road at a grazing field. They were on a mission that was meant to recover weapons stolen from the slain administration police officers killed in Kapedo.

When The Standard on Saturday visited the area, they spotted the lifeless animals in the grazing fields.

One of the locals whose animal was killed Mr Peter Kama, said they were yet to establish the motive behind the killings.

During the attack, he said powerful explosives were fired at Kariomoshi Hills forcing the residents to scamper for safety.

“These soldiers were supposed to recover the stolen weapons and chase after the culprits, not kill our animals. This is unacceptable,” lamented Kama.

Former East Pokot MP James Kalegeno, led the residents in condemning the incident saying the residents had already suffered enough.

Mr Kalegeno who represented the region in the third parliament (between1974-1979) claimed that the security operation was no longer about gun recovery but a well-calculated scheme to collectively punish the Pokot community for sins that they had not committed.

“What security officers are engaging in is criminal and must be condemned in the strongest terms”, said the former MP.

On Wednesday evening, he said 40 goats and ten cows were also shot dead at a watering point at Solar Village in Kapedo East.

As this transpired, Pokot community leaders demanded the withdrawal of security officers from Turkana County saying they were doing more harm than good.

At Komolion Village along Loruk-Tangulbei, the officers left another trail of destruction after attacking homes, looting shopping stores and damaging property of unknown value.

Amos Lorokole, a local, claimed that the officers arrived at the area in the wee hours of Thursday morning before turning everything upside down. The locals now want the national government to intervene.