Kimaiyo orders police to shoot bandits on sight

Inspector General David Kimaiyo during the launch of crime observation publications on October 15, 2014. Kimaiyo has issued a shoot-to-kill order on armed bandits in pastoral regions. FILE PHOTO | JENNIFER MUIRURI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Mr Kimaiyo, who was accompanied by County Commissioner Peter Okwanyo and County Police Commander Hassan Barua, urged herders with illegal guns to surrender them before the government rolls out the disarmament.
  • The killings sparked tension in the area and some residents were reportedly fleeing their homes.

Police boss David Kimaiyo has issued a shoot-to-kill order on armed bandits in pastoral regions.

Speaking when he toured cattle rustling-prone areas of Baringo County, Mr Kimaiyo said the government would conduct disarmament jointly with neighbouring countries to stem proliferation of illegal firearms through porous borders.

The police boss said that trade in illegal arms was to blame for insecurity in pastoral regions such as Baringo, Laikipia and Turkana counties.

“We will not sit and watch as a few criminal elements terrorise our people,” he said at Mukutani in Baringo South, where armed bandits killed four people on Saturday.

“Police will be justified to use reasonable force to safeguard the lives of many.”

Mr Kimaiyo, who was accompanied by County Commissioner Peter Okwanyo and County Police Commander Hassan Barua, urged herders with illegal guns to surrender them before the government rolls out the disarmament.

He warned leaders who fan conflicts by making inciteful statements that they would face the law.

On Saturday, youth who were driving their 31 cattle back home after recovering the animals that had been stolen at Sirata on Thursday evening, were attacked at Nosudan. The attackers sprayed them with bullets, killing the four.

SERIOUSLY INJURED
Three morans who were in the company of those killed were seriously injured.

The killings sparked tension in the area and some residents were reportedly fleeing their homes.

Sokotei, Noosukro and Ruggus primary schools were closed and the fate of pupils preparing for this year’s Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) examinations is uncertain.

Other schools in conflict-prone areas include Mukutani and Kiserian.

Mr Okwanyo, Mr Barua and deputy county commissioners from affected sub-counties were on Sunday holed up in a crisis meeting.

PAPERS BURNT
In Turkana, a secondary school teacher, three police officers and an employee of Tullow Oil, on Sunday, went missing at Kapedo after bandits attacked a police vehicle they were travelling in.

The vehicle, which was escorting a police lorry, was set ablaze in the 2.45pm incident at Ameyen in Turkana East Sub-County. Mr Moses Amoke, a GSU officer, and a woman were injured.

Last week, eight police officers were attacked in the area and their vehicle carrying KCSE examination papers set ablaze.

Tullow’s operations at Amosing and Ngamia 1 oil exploration sites in Turkana East have been grounded due to insecurity.

Additional reporting by KNA