Cattle raiders kill KPR officer as police arrest five rustlers

Suspected cattle raiders arrested in Eldoret where they had gone to seek treatment

Eldoret: Tension remains high in Kerio Valley after suspected raiders invaded Kabetwa area in Marakwet East Sub County and killed a Kenya Police Reservist (KPR) and stole several animals.

In the Sunday afternoon attack David Kanda, 32, who was on guard with other KPRs officers were attacked by hundreds of heavily armed raiders who sprayed them with bullets and also stole a G3 riffle belonging to the deceased.

The KPRs were protecting the herdsmen grazing their livestock when they were attacked. In the ensuing gun fight several raiders were also shot and sustained gunshot wounds.

Police traced five of the raiders to Eldoret Town where they had been taken for treatment and arrested them.

The attack comes hot in the heels after the raiders launched another daring raid in Arror area at the neighbouring Marakwet West sub county barely a week ago killing a herder before stealing hundreds of livestock.

Residents are now living in fear and have accused the law enforcers for slow response whenever there is an attack decrying the situation as dire and getting out of hand each passing day.

They claimed about 40 people have been killed in cattle theft-related attacks in the area in the past year and over 10,000 animals stolen besides livelihoods being disrupted.

Locals told The Standard that cattle rustling has affected development in the region saying despite the heavy security personnel presence, the killings are going on.

They said the presence of the over 400 police officers the Government recently deployed to help stop bloodletting in the area has not been felt as Pokots herders continue to unleash terror along the Kerio Valley.

Mr Sawachan Kinur, a resident, said: "Many people have been forced out of their homes due to frequent attacks. We have also lost our livestock and that is why we want the Government to move with speed and restore peace in this area."

He added; "People have abandoned their farms and fled to other areas. We need a long-lasting solution to end the cattle rustling menace now," Kinur said yesterday.

Linah Kitum, said she lost her brother in-law during one of the many attacks and accused the government of neglecting them.

Marakwet East Deputy County Eric Wamulevu said they are doing anything possible to restore calm in the region adding that police are in hot pursuit of the assailants who fled to the vast Baringo East.

"We have arrested five suspected raiders who were receiving treatment at one of the hospitals in Eldoret and we shall arraign them in court once they are discharged," said the administrator.