By Antynet Ford
Two primary school kids were yesterday killed in an ambush shoot in Baringo County.
The two were taking care of livestock when the attack happened.
Confirming the incident, Baringo County Commander Julius Kiragu said the gunmen were hanging around the area before striking in the late evening hours.
After they killed the two kids, they drove away with the livestock.
“The gunmen had been hanging in the area before they struck in the evening hours driving away with an unknown number of animals.” Kiragu said.
He said an operation is on to arrest the gang behind the attack.
The police are yet to make any recovery of the stolen animals.
This is among the latest such incidents to happen in the area amid calls by locals on the government to address the menace which has affected operations at large.
Last week, locals staged a protest in the area against increased insecurity and called for action to address the menace. This followed the killing of a blind teacher.
It came days after five people were killed in separate bandit attacks in Baringo, Elgeyo Marakwet, and Samburu counties.
Most parts of the North Rift are now experiencing a return of attacks, which have disrupted normal operations.
Many schools have been closed over the incidents, which have left dozens dead.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has been leading the operations in the area vowing to end the menace.
Kindiki said cattle rustling in Northern Kenya has over the years become an organized criminal enterprise responsible for deaths, poverty, and displacement.
“Its impacts are severe. It deprives pastoral communities of their economic mainstay and aggravates the conditions of poverty in the rangelands, fuelling communal grievances and revenge attacks.” Kindiki said.
The government has promised more resources in the war against banditry.
To dismantle the infrastructure of cattle rustlers and facilitators he said, the government is sustaining the war on banditry and its perpetrators, enablers, benefactors, and beneficiaries by making banditry a painful venture, ensuring recovery of stolen livestock and rewarding facilitators of recoveries.