Fresh Kerio Valley bandit attacks claim three more lives

Pupils and teachers from Chesetan Primary School fled their classrooms following gun fights between suspected Pokot attackers and Marakwet warriors in the Kerio Valley on October 24, 2016. PHOTO | PHILEMON SUTER | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Pokot bandits raided villages in Marakwet East and drove away livestock.
  • According to police commissioner, two Pokot cattle raiders were also killed in the same incident.

Three more people were killed and two others injured Monday in gun fighting in the Kerio Valley as hundreds of livestock were driven away by suspected Pokot raiders.

In twin brazen daylight assaults in the mid-morning hours and another in the afternoon, the raiders engaged locals in a fierce exchange of fire that resulted in three deaths, raising the death toll to 20.

The battlefields today were Murkutwa, Kabetwo, Chesongo, Borowo and lower Sambirir in Marakwet East, where Pokot raiders crossed over and stole livestock.

One victim, 18-year-old Jirus Jonathan Naibei, was shot dead in Murkutwa, said Marakwet East Deputy County Commissioner Erick Mlevu.

According to Mr Mlevu, two Pokot cattle raiders were also shot dead in the same incident.

Two victims who sustained gunshot wounds were rushed to Iten County Referral Hospital for treatment.

"Police officers intervened and managed to engage the Pokot attackers," said Mr Mlevu.

The Elgeyo-Marakwet County police commander called on political leaders of the two warring communities to intervene.

Brave teachers in the area on Monday morning showed up at schools while armed with poisoned arrows to guard their students in the event the raiders struck again.

At Chesetan Primary School, a number of teachers were armed with weapons alongside teaching materials.

Although, Inspector-General of Police Joseph Boinnet visited Elgeyo-Marakwet on Sunday, he did not talk about the insecurity in the area.

Mr Boinnet presided over a ceremony to open a church building. When asked by the media about attacks in the Kerio Valley, he seemed to downplay the intensity of the clashes, saying he only knew of two deaths.