By Antynet Ford
A Police officer stationed at Mawego police station in Rachuonyo North, Homabay County who was on leave was yesterday attacked and killed at his home in a reported banditry incident in Sibilo location, Loruk, Baringo County.
Gunmen who were stealing animals raided the village and in the process, he was shot at close range and died on the spot.
The gunmen drove with an unknown number of livestock after the shooting.
The body was later moved to the Baringo County Referral Hospital.
Police said they laid an ambush on the gang and managed to recover 132 goats from them after an exchange of fire. The gang escaped with some of the stolen animals.
Tension remained high in the area on Wednesday amid fears of retaliation from the affected group.
Police said a reinforcement had been sent to the area to help track the attackers and forestall the possible retaliation.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has in the past weeks visited the places affected by the menace to reassure agencies deployed there of the government’s commitment in the war against banditry.
Residents have staged protests over the attacks calling for more efforts to address the issue despite Kindiki’s declaration that bandits would face the same treatment as terrorists.
“We are bringing in special forces to help us deal with the hardcore commanders of banditry. To ruthlessly pursue the livestock rustlers, we are deploying the same measures we’ve deployed to tackle terrorism.” Kindiki said.
“There is no difference between bandits and terrorists. Their ideology is the same and they must be shown no mercy.”
He said, the ongoing operation, dubbed Maliza Uhalifu, will persist for the long haul until the banditry menace is decimated.