BONYO'S BONE: The forgotten village of Todonyang

On Saturday night, a village in Turkana County, Todonyang, witnessed yet another massacre—a night of terror in what has become a brutal ritual.

Militia from Ethiopia crossed into Kenyan territory, slaughtering fishermen and pastoralists in cold blood.

Another attack. Another tragedy. Another set of promises from the government.

Authorities have called it a retaliatory attack. But let’s call it what it really is—murder on Kenyan soil.

Five days later, or if you like, 120 hours of anguish, more than 20 Kenyans remain missing. Their bodies are nowhere to be found. Atrocious, to say the least!

But where exactly is Todonyang? To get there, you’ll need at least 17 and a half hours of non-stop travel by road through Eldoret. Realistically, you’ll need two days or more to reach this remote, neglected outpost, over 700 kilometers from Nairobi.

According to the 2019 Kenya National Bureau of Statistics census, only 1,573 people live in Todonyang: 1,119 men and 454 women. Just 354 households.
In a country of 50 million, this village is a mere statistic.

Perhaps that is why the people of Todonyang are asking, "Are they children of a lesser god?"

On Monday, two days after the massacre, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen landed in Todonyang, flanked by top security officials and local politicians. A high-powered visit by all definitions. A flurry of condolences. An array of promises. Then, just like that, they left!

For the villagers, this was another ritual. They have seen these delegations before, every time the militia strikes. And every time, the cycle repeats. Their home has become a killer’s paradise.

Their only solace? Our Lady Queen of Peace Todonyang Mission, a Catholic church out of Lodwar Parish, that has built a graveyard for the victims.

For 15 years, they have buried their dead there—over 200 people, slaughtered by foreign militia. The 20 killed last Saturday will most likely join them, only if their bodies are ever found.

The real tragedy is not just the killings. It is the government’s casual approach to these murders.
Here, foreign militias patrol Kenyan soil with impunity. They walk in, kill, and walk out with no consequences.

To the people of Todonyang, Operation Maliza Uhalifu, the much-hyped security campaign by the Kenya Defence Forces in the Rift Valley, is nothing but a rumor.

Instead, every attack brings the same tired promises: "We will deploy police reservists… We will set up border patrols… We will enhance security…" And yet, the killings continue.

But in all this, let’s also pause for a moment. Over 20 Kenyans were massacred on their own land. Their bodies remain missing nearly a week later. And yet, no national outcry. No trending hashtags. No civil society protests.

Where is our collective anger? In Todonyang today, a child is missing their father, a wife is grieving her husband, and a family has lost their sole breadwinner. Every life in this country matters. The lives of villagers in Todonyang matter. The lives of the five chiefs abducted in El Wak, Mandera County, three weeks ago matter.

Kenya cannot and must not be a playground for foreign militias. And so, let us summon our patriotism and demand action. Not just words. Action!