Two killed in Marigat, tension high

Marigat, Baringo County: Tension has risen in Mukutani and Kiserian areas in Marigat, Baringo County after suspected bandits killed two people and an unknown number of livestock and torched 11 houses in an early morning incident.

Residents fled the area on Friday as gunshots suspected to be fired by raiders from East Pokot to scare were heard up to midday.

Incidentally, this happened after the elapse of the 10-day ultimatum issued by Tiaty MP Asman Kamama for the over 1,000 livestock allegedly stolen from pastoralists from his constituency to be returned.

It also happened barely a week after a delegation of leaders from Marigat led by Baringo South MP Grace Kipchoim met Deputy President Wiliam Ruto over rampant insecurity in the area after 10 other houses were torched in Mukutani.

Mukutani chief Benjamin Lecher confirmed that two people had been confirmed dead following the raid in three villages such as Sirata, Nomusuro, Lorok and Oldepesi where houses have been razed down.

He said thousands of goats, cattle and sheep had been stolen and had been driven by armed bandits towards East Pokot area where bandits have long been believed to be coming from.

“People are in fear and tension is high. The security team is already on the ground,” added Chief Lecher.

Area Police Commandant Hassan Barua said the operation to recover the stolen livestock were on.

“We are on the ground right now. The operation is on. We’ll talk later,” Barua told The Standard before hanging up.

A week ago, 326 residents were rendered homeless after seven houses were razed down by bandits who had crossed

over the area from East Pokot in search of water and pasture.

Apart from the houses which had been torched, the chief added, kiosks and a chief’s office in Rugus were also vandalised. 

Baringo County Governor Benjamin Cheboi and area County commissioner Bernard Leparmarai have blamed politicians for failing to speak up over rampant insecurity in the area.

Cheboi claimed that some politicians could be behind the cattle rustling menace that has deteriorated insecurity in the county.
The Governor said that some politicians mainly from the rustling communities, may be financing rustling activities especially through purchase of illegal arms.

“Banditry happening in parts of the county such as Marigat, Baringo North could have been perpetrated by some political leaders with interests in the illegal trade,” he said.

Commissioner Leparmarai accused local political leaders of failing to come out and openly condemn barbaric criminalacts by rustlers.

Leparmarai said leaders from warring communities have failed in their role of bringing communities together and instead,they are busy associating themselves to their tribes and communities.

“We as the security team,are doing our part but political leaders from the affected communities have not coming out to talk to their people on peace. We need their cooperation in order to reduce insecurity,” said Leparmarai.

Baringo South MP Grace Kipchoim MP had earlier faulted Parliamentary Chair on National security who is also Tiaty MP Asman Kamama for allegedly applying double-standards in addressing cattle rustling menace in Baringo County.

Kipchoim claimed that Kamama’s recent issuance of an ultimatum on the area county commissioner to return the over 1000 livestock stolen from his herders was biased saying that the MP has been ignoring the plights of other communities.

“As the chair of national security, it is so unfortunate that when livestock are stolen from other communities by rustlers believed to be from his area, he keeps quiet and when those from his area are stolen, he gives ultimatums,” Kipchoim told The Standard.