Herder, rustler die in banditry attack in Kerio Valley

Thousands of learners from over 50 schools in the Kerio valley region during a day-long protests to castigate the government for their inaction to quell the skirmishes and rising insecurity in the Kerio Valley region. [Photo by Eliud Kipsang/Standard]

A herder and a suspected cattle rustler were on Tuesday killed in a banditry attack at Kapkondot in Marakwet East.

A group of heavily armed rustlers raided Toroko grazing field on the edge of Kapkondot Secondary School, spraying herders with bullets.

Boaz Kirop, 23, who was on top of a tree keeping watch, was shot several times and died on the spot.

Police reservists engaged the raiders in a gunfight, killing one of the attackers as the rest fled towards the Kerio River.

Emmanuel Kisang, a brother of Kirop, said the victim was in the company of four other herders.

“Our leaders have let us down. They come here on weekends only for burials and leave after giving the affected families Sh50, 000. They should be here with us engaging leaders from neighbouring counties in search of peace,” he said.

Charles Chesaj asked President Uhuru Kenyatta to personally intervene to end the insecurity in the region.

Area police boss Lenny Njiru said security had been beefed up to curb the rising banditry cases.