One person killed by bandits as Baringo humanitarian crisis deepens

According to the distraught residents, armed bandits laid siege at the Chepkewel area on Wednesday afternoon killing a 50-year-old man. 

This comes even as a group of residents from Samburu County presented a petition before the Senate on Thursday calling for among other things, the formation of a new sub-county in Suguta to ease the government’s security deployment.

“Walivamia watu chepkewel wakaua mtu mmoja wakaiba mbuzi na baada ya kufukzua sisi walirejea kwa shule wakabomoa na wakachukua chakula walichukua maharagwe gunia kumi alafu wakachukua mchele gunia kumi na saba,” Ngaratuko Primary School Headteacher Charles Tarus said.

“Ata mimi anstuka pengien wanaweza fika hapa sasa mimi naonba security watoto waendelee kuenda shule na alafu mtulishe sababu hatuna chochote sisi ni watu tumefika tu hapa ghafla hakuna kitu tuko nayo ata kidogo,” Kagir resident Jane Chesang added.

According to the Kenya redcross, 2000 people from Baringo have so far been displaced following the incessant bandit attacks in the area creating a humanitarian crisis in the makeshift camps

“Kile hiko hapa ni saa hii hatuna dawa watoto wkao na maltia na homa na hakuna vile wanjisaidia sas akama viongozi wangetusaidia tutapata mawa ndio watu wakikua wagonjwa wameze,” another Kagir resident Jennifer Chesaro said.

This comes even as a section of residents from Samburu appeared before the senate standing committee on national security over wanton bandit attacks which they said have claimed 59 lives and over 5000 livestock stolen.

The residents drawn from Lorroki and Malasso wards were advocating for among other things, a compensation matrix for the victims of banditry as well as the formation of a new sub-county to be known as Suguta Mar Mar sub-county in order to enhance the national government’s coordination.