Tension is high along Pokot and Elgeyo Marakwet border following the killing of two people at Kowow village along the Kerio River in Marakwet East Constituency.
According to Jacob Kimutai a villager, trouble began when six people from the neighbouring community joined the others from Marakwet in the planting of watermelons at a farm as casuals before they were ambushed by armed youth.
He explained that there was no disagreement in the farm until when youth armed with guns attacked the four, killing two on the spot.
Kolowa area chief Stephen Domorita said the injured were taken to nearby health facility while the bodies were retrieved by General Service Unit (GSU) officers and taken Tot health centre.
"The incident which took place on Thursday morning created a scare especially because it was a market day and both communities were present, we had to intervene and ensure that nobody was hurt in the process," he said.
The incident comes three weeks after three people were killed by suspected raiders from neighbouring community. The killings began when a farmer Peter Chepkong'a was hacked to death while tilling his farm along Kerio River with two family members also being shot dead and several herds of livestock stolen.
The locals had earlier given the security officials a 12 hour ultimatum to return the stolen animals even as they sought the elusive peace.
Confirming the incident, Rift Valley regional coordinator Wanyama Musiambo cautioned the two communities against retaliation saying they should instead embrace peaceful co-existence.
"based on the communities' request, our security personnel a day after holding a series of meetings in the area were able to recover 26 animals that had been previously stolen and a gun, what happened at Kowow has surprised us because we thought they had heed our call of not fronting for revenge and knew normalcy had been restored," he noted.
Musiambo said they will today hold peace meetings organized by county commissioners from Baringo and Marakwet in the area in a bid to pacify and discourage the locals against retaliation.
"We expect the public to give us more time and information on the culprits who want to disturb the peace and cohesion that the two communities have been enjoying for the past ten years, but our assurance is that the government shall not rest until the perpetrators are brought to justice," he explained.
The coordinator called on those with unlicensed firearms to report to the nearest police station so they can have their guns registered and made legal.
