On Sunday, March 20, two people were killed and seven others were seriously injured after armed gunmen dressed in police uniform launched an attack in the Koitilial area of Arror, Elgeyo Markwet County.
One of the survivors described how the men appeared from the bushes and opened fire on him and the other herders while they were on the farm.
“I was in the farm around 1 p.m. when they emerged and began shooting at us. There were several men present, so I decided to flee for my life and bring myself to the hospital “He told the press.
The bandits then proceeded to the Koitialel shopping center, where they destroyed property worth an unknown amount of money. They also stole a number of cattle heads.
While some were able to flee to safety, seven people were seriously injured and are being treated at the Iten Sub-county Hospital and the Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in Eldoret. The bodies of the two people have been transported to the Iten County Referral Hospital Morgue.
Regional leaders have chastised the government for failing to intervene and allowing bandits to run the show in the area. They also urged the government to treat the situation with the urgency it merits.
Several candidates taking the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE), particularly those in day schools, may miss some of the papers because their families have relocated.
The incident occurred barely a month after armed gunmen sprayed bullets at buses transporting students on the Tot-Arror Road on February 18.
When the bandits opened fire on the three buses transporting students on a school trip, one person was killed and several others were injured.
Tot High School students and teachers were rushed to the Kapsowar Mission School for treatment. Notably, both the male and female teachers were wounded multiple times.
The Ministry of Education blamed the school administration for defying a directive that prohibited school buses from operating at night. Interior CS Fred Matiang’i later directed that the school principal face severe consequences, including arrest and prosecution.
