Tears, pain as soldiers hunt for guns
Mrs Dorcas Napang’ole displays a tear gas canister and spent bullet cartridges left in her house on November 9, 2014 after a Thursday night raid by soldiers on homes at Tangulbei in Baringo County. PHOTO | JARED NAYATAYA |
What you need to know:
- When the Nation team visited her home yesterday, Ms Dorcas Kibet Napang’ole was carrying her three-year-old child, trying to come to terms with what befell her family during the 11pm operation on Thursday.
- The disarmament was rolled out following the killing of 19 Administration Police officers near Kapedo at the border of Baringo and Turkana by suspected Pokot raiders. Twenty guns have been found.
Complaints of harassment, destruction of property and looting continue to cloud the operation to disarm herders in Baringo and Turkana counties.
A trader at Tangulbei in Tiaty Sub-County claims she lost Sh2 million to the security personnel involved in the disarmament.
When the Nation team visited her home yesterday, Ms Dorcas Kibet Napang’ole was carrying her three-year-old child, trying to come to terms with what befell her family during the 11pm operation on Thursday.
“We were asleep when the soldiers knocked on our door demanding guns. Before we even had time to open the door, they lobbed teargas canisters into the house through the window and then broke down the door. They then descended on my husband with kicks and blows,” said Mrs Napang’ole.
WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN
The soldiers took away her husband, Mr Napang’ole Lukwasokok, and his whereabouts remain unknown.
“I managed to rescue my baby from a tear gas-filled house while my other children jumped out through the window. The officers ransacked everything in the house including our saving boxes where they took money. They also took all our phones and I cannot reach anyone,” she added.
She said that her husband, a livestock trader in Marigat and Nakuru, was to use the money the following day (Friday) to buy livestock at Tangulbei Shopping Centre.
The whereabouts of the family’s two children aged 10 and eight is also unknown.
The disarmament was rolled out following the killing of 19 Administration Police officers near Kapedo at the border of Baringo and Turkana by suspected Pokot raiders. Twenty guns have been found.
At Tangulbei Shopping Centre, business was paralysed, with many shops closed, after some residents reportedly fled in fear of the advancing soldiers.
Some families have sought refuge at Tangulbei Catholic Mission where they live in deplorable conditions.
Tangulbei/Korossi Member of the County Assembly Peter Amasile warned of a looming humanitarian crisis in the area. “This so-called operation has lost focus and we call on Inspector-General David Kimaiyo to do the honourable thing and resign,” said Mr Amasile.
The residents yesterday held a peaceful demonstration to condemn the operation.
“Kapedo, where the police killings took place is 215 kilometres away. Why harass people who have not even seen guns?” asked Mr Kabang’a Silale, a Pokot elder.
