Samburu leaders condemn killing of student

By Moses Njagih

Samburu, Kenya: Angry political leaders from Samburu County protested the shooting and killing of a university student by a senior police officer, even as they continued with their push for an overhaul of security leadership in the volatile area.

Five legislators and the county assembly want the Samburu Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD) and the Officer Commanding Maralal Police Station (OCS) charged for the shooting of the student.

The student was among a group that had gone to the Maralal Police Station to identify animals that had been recovered after a raid in which two people were killed and four others critically injured.

The political leaders, who included County Women Representative Maison Leshoomo, nominated Senator Naisula Lesuuda and MPs Raphael Letimalo (Samburu West),  Alois Lentoimaga (Samburu North) and Laiti Lelelit (Samburu West), flew to the county after learning the shooting of the student and another man, who was on Wednesday fighting for his life.

On Monday, the leaders had accused another OCS of abetting in cattle rustling after he granted a permit for transportation of the animals that had been stolen during the raid.

“It cannot be that we are always talking about the same thing every day and young people at their prime continue to die, either in the hands of security officers or in raids aided by the police,” complained Lesuuda.

The Senator insisted that insecurity in the area was a major ‘business’, perpetrated with the help of security officers.

 “Why are security personnel never quick to respond to incidences of cattle rustling but so fast to open fire on innocent students,” Naisula said.

An emotional and teary Leshoomo threatened that the political leadership in the county would engage the security officers and force them out of the area.

 “We are wondering why the police could result to use firearm on innocent youth, who were not armed with even sticks. Let them be prepared then to shoot and kill us the area leaders before they kill our people,” said a weeping Leshoomo, before the leaders flew from Wilson Airport.

Letimalo said the officers opened fire on the youth, shooting the university student at the head, yet the group was only visiting the police station to identify animals that had been recovered after a deadly raid.

 “The OCS there must be arrested and charged with murder. We will not sit down and watch the police engage in killings,” said Letimalo.

Lentoimaga termed the shooting as premeditated, saying the officer responsible must be charged with murder.

 “The shooting was over 500 metres away from the police station and it is clear the student was shot on the head from behind. That was murder, which the officer must be held accountable for,” he said.

The MP said they had raised the issue of overhaul of security officers in the county with top police leadership including the minister yet no action had been taken.