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Five Killed, Scores Flee in Trans Mara Revenge Attack

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Published on Thursday, 30 June 2011 19:43

Five people were killed and scores injured in Trans Mara West district in a suspected revenge attack over the killing of an eight-year-old Maasai boy.

Some victims were hacked to death and others shot with poisoned arrows at Enkos village in Lolgorian division on Saturday night. Hundreds of residents fled area following fears of attacks as the government beefed up security. Some are camping at a local Lolgorian Police Station. Scores others left in vehicles to Kisii county from Trans Mara saying their security was not guaranteed.

Yesterday, the government deployed General Service Unit and police officers to the area to restore calm. Some of those killed were identified as Obara Itumbe, 72, Dominic Nyakundi, 24, Daniel Auka, 50, and his son John Maoro, 20.

The Maasai suspected that the boy was killed by people from the Kisii community but the cause of death has not been established.

Trans Mara DC Mathioya Mbogo and police boss Titus Yoma held a security meeting in the area where they asked residents to co-exist peacefully. They said police will carry out day and night patrols until calm is restored.

Yoma said so far no one has been arrested but the manhunt continues. "Two wrongs do not make a right. I'm appealing to you to restrain yourselves as the government is dealing with the killings including that of the eight-year-old boy," said the DC. "You cannot wake up and start killing people and you don't have proof that they killed the boy," said the DC.

Bernard Momanyi who was fleeing the area said, "I'm lucky to be alive. A contingent of armed morans ordered us to vacate failure to which we would be killed. "I survived death by a whisker. I'm now going home until we are assured of our security," he said. Residents said they had left hundreds of acres of maize and beans in their farms which they had leased from locals. Police moved the bodies to St Camillus Tabaka Mission Hospital in Gucha South for preservation.

Gucha South DC Geoffrey Mayama termed the killings as unfortunate. "We have discussed with my counterpart in Trans Mara on ways to avert further chaos," he told the Star on phone. Gucha police chief Richard Ng'etich said they are on high alert following the killings.