By JAMES MUNYEKI

Thirteen people are feared dead after two warring communities turned against each other in Samburu County.

Three others are nursing serious gunshot injuries from the Monday night incident.

Armed raiders from the Samburu community are said to have invaded Nachola village and stole 205 camels and two donkeys during the 3am incident.

According to area civic leader Lawrence Lorunyei, the raiders attacked several manyattas before they drove off the animals prompting a fierce shootout.

“It was at night when they invaded the area and took away the livestock after shooting several times in the air. They made away with the livestock after terrorising the residents,” he said.

Mr Lorunyei said the raiders drove the animals towards Ngilai area in Baragoi District. Security personnel have been deployed in the area to quell tension.

Colluding

By the time of going to press, security agents led by anti-stock theft police officers and rapid deployment unit were pursuing the raiders but no animals have been recovered.

Area OCPD Maurice Makhano said that over 200 security officers had been deployed in the region.

“We are still investigating the matter and that is why we have deployed police officers to do the follow up. We have also set up camps in all areas where we believe that violence could erupt,” he said. Residents who spoke to the Press said tension was high in the area and expressed fears of retaliatory attacks.

They accused security officers at the nearby police post of taking too long to act on information provided by the public over the attack.

They claimed that some security officers could have been behind the attack.

The residents called for immediate transfer of the officers as they had overstayed at the station and accused them of colluding with criminals.

The incident comes barely a day after Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka toured the area and called on the residents to embrace peaceful coexistence to foster meaningful development.

Kalonzo was on a three-day campaign tour of Samburu County to seek support for his presidential bid.

Unconfirmed reports indicate that Internal Security minister Katoo ole Metito would be leading a high profile security detail to the area today.