Fresh Kapedo killings spark fears of new rounds of communal violence

The Monday killings in Kapedo have sparked fears of a new round of raids in the area claimed by both the Pokot and Turkana communities.

A lull in the last one year appears to have given administrators and locals a false sense of peace along the Baringo-Turkana border.

A police officer and two civilians died when a group ambushed workers heading to Lomelo.

Since the November 2014 massacre that left 22 officers dead, Kapedo has been marked a banditry hotspot and is avoided by locals and security agents.

Turkana County police commander Samwel Ndanyi said 14 people, including a Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU) officer, were injured in the Monday 5.30pm incident that he described as “hit-and-run”.

“The bandits took advantage of the poor state of the road to ambush the vehicle. A police officer and a civilian died on the spot,” Mr Ndanyi said.

Nine of the injured were admitted at Nakuru Level Five Hospital and doctors said they were in a stable condition.

“They were in critical condition when they arrived,” said Dr Joseph Mburu, the Medical Superintendent, adding that the patients had bullets lodged in their legs and arms while one was shot in the chest.

“Doctors are working hard to ensure the bullets are removed from their bodies,” he said.

By Thursday, General Service Unit and RDU officers were still combing thickets in search of the raiders.

“We will not rest until the attackers are brought to book. We’ve restored calm in Kapedo,” Rift Valley Regional Commissioner George Natembeya said.

MPs Mohammed Ali Lokiru (Turkana East), Christopher Nakuleu (Turkana North) and Turkana Woman Representative Joyce Emanikor said it was a planned attack.

Mr Lokiru said the police vehicle was transporting workers building a drift in Kamosing to Lomelo.

Mr Nakuleu called on police to carry out investigations into the raid, alleging it was planned by politicians from Baringo.

“There should be a crackdown on firearms too. These weapons promote such attacks,” he said.

The MP urged the Interior Ministry to restore security on the Turkana-Baringo boundary.

Ms Emanikor called on the State to begin mopping up illegal guns in the region. She also called for a security operation in Tiaty, adding that groups terrorising residents of Baringo, Turkana, Elgeyo-Marakwet and Laikipia counties come from there.

Kapedo residents have started fleeing, fearing more attacks and security operations.

In 2017, three policemen and an employee of the Teachers Service Commission were shot dead by criminals in Kasarani.

The policemen were heading to Lokori in Turkana East after taking food to fellow officers in Kapedo. The bandits took off with two guns.

The two communities have been going for each other’s throats on who should have a greater stake of Kapedo resources.

In 2016, members of the Senate Security Committee touring Kapedo witnessed the hostilities first-hand when the Turkana and Pokot delegations refused to sit together at a peace meeting.

Additional reporting by Phyllis Musasia and Sammy Lutta