Is there a plot to play down Baringo death toll?

Kenya Red Cross (KRC) officials claim they are under pressure from the Government to revise the figure of those killed during Monday’s attack on Nadome, Baringo Country.

KRC officials said senior police officers tasked with investigating the killings were exerting pressure on them to denounce their earlier reports and revise the figure from from 54 to 16.

Deputy Assistant Inspector General of Police (Administration Police) Peter Pampa, the officer dispatched to lead the operation against the bandits, grilled KRC officials at Chemolingot Deputy County Commissioner’s office and demanded they revise the figure to 16, despite KRC officials insisting that they counted 54 bodies on Tuesday.

The meeting, which took close to five hours, was attended by Rift Valley Regional Co-ordinator Osman Warfa, Rift Valley Regional Police Co-ordinator Gideon Amala, Tiaty Sub-county Commissioner Daniel Kurui and a section of leaders from the Pokot community.

“It is a sad day for us. We have been in the battlefield not once but twice and for police to demand that the figure be scaled down is shocking. Surely, where is this country headed to? Those in charge of security should be honest with Kenyans,” said one KRC official.

He accused Mr Pampa of harassment and intimidation during the hastily convened meeting.

While it is not clear why the Government would want to play down the scale of the massacre, an intelligence officer said on Tuesday that the Government was determined to conceal the truth.

“The Government is not interested in giving the facts as they are. A warning has already been circulated to all NIS officers in the county and state officials not to reveal any information apart from what media reports,” said the officer.

According to him, the Government feels releasing more damning information could injure the country’s reputation at a time US President Barack Obama is expected in the country.

Other sources indicated that up to 112 lives could have been lost on Monday in attacks by Turkana warriors against 12 Pokot villages.

And in what appears like a trend by the Government to downplay casualty figures during national tragedies, the KRC official claimed they rejected a similar attempt after the Kapedo massacre, in which 21 police officers were killed.

“They wanted us to reduce the figure to somewhere around seven causalities but we stood our ground. Finally we were vindicated,” he said after storming out of the meeting.

Pampa landed at Chemolingot, about 120km from the killing field of Nadome, accompanied by local leaders among them Silale ward MCA Nelson Lotela.

After failing to agree on the figure, the meeting was called off and Lotela was forced again to fly to the scene with the security team at around 6pm.

“After landing, they counted more bodies, darkness was approaching and most of them were scared. They claimed the police helicopter was running out of fuel and we left,” said Lotela.

Pampa told journalists later that he only counted 16 bodies during his visit. “This is the truth, I counted only 16 bodies but tomorrow (Thursday) more officers will be dispatched to the scene to comb the bushes,” he said.

By Thursday, the Government was yet to fulfill its promise and send more troops to Nadome valley and the dreaded Suguta belt. Deputy Inspector of Police Grace Kaindi, however, toured the region.