State beefs up security in Baringo after Tot school bus attack
Members of the public view a bullet-riddled school bus which was carrying students of Tot Secondary School when it was attacked and sprayed with bullets by bandits on Thursday February 17 night.
The government has deployed armed security officers to Tot Secondary School in the Kerio Valley to guard students following a bandit attack on Thursday night.
The attack at Chesuman, on the Biretwo-Tot road, left the school bus driver dead and injured 13 students and two teachers.
But the school principal has not been arrested as earlier directed by Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i.
At least five students and two teachers are still being treated in various hospitals in Baringo and Elgeyo Marakwet, nursing gunshot wounds. Some underwent surgery to remove bullets lodged in their bodies.
The students were returning to school from an academic trip in Baringo County and had not returned to school by the 6.30pm deadline for movement of school buses.
Rift Valley Regional Coordinator Mohamed Maalim told the Nation that a team of counsellors were at the school to offer psychosocial support to the students and teachers.
Following the attack, the school, which has boarders and day scholars, was deserted by learners.
“The learners, especially the day scholars, kept away from school out of fear and trauma. A multi-agency team of government officials led by Elgeyo Marakwet County Commissioner John Korir has been at the school to ensure learning goes on and the candidates’ preparations for the upcoming national examination is not interrupted,” Mr Maalim said.
Mr Maalim said the government will also conduct a security operation in Tiaty West, where the suspected bandits were believed to be hiding.
“We are calling on the locals in Tiaty West sub-county to surrender the bandits in their midst because the wrath of the government will soon fall on them. The bandits are known. We want the names as soon as possible before the operation commences,” he said.
The administrator said they were encouraged by protests by women in Tiaty who came out to condemn the attack on the school bus.
Last Friday, and following the attack on students, Dr Matiang’i ordered the immediate arrest and prosecution of the school principal, accusing him of negligence and violating the policy on movement of school buses, which are not supposed to operate beyond 6.30pm.
But the Nation has learnt that there were consultations on the matter following the uproar that ensued.
“We have not arrested the principal yet because after wider consultations, we agreed that focus ought to be put on the upcoming national examination because he is the centre manager,” Mr Maalim told the Nation on Sunday.
He added: “This does not mean we are contradicting the CS order, but there is a general feeling that the principal should run the school uninterrupted and besides the matter is being investigated.”
He said they did not want to create more tension and anxiety in the school, especially now that the students are traumatised over the attack.
“We will hold a meeting this week with all top security agencies and education officials in the Rift Valley to put in place modalities that will ensure the national examinations run uninterrupted,” Mr Maalim said.
Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen had called out Dr Matiang’i for “amplifying misdemeanours” committed by school administrators.
“It is unfortunate that Mr Matiang’i, instead of focusing on high crimes committed by the bandits and the crimes of omission committed by officers under his watch, amplifies misdemeanours committed by school administrators,” the senator said.
He argued that the Biretwo-Tot road is used by many PSV and private vehicles.
“Considering that there is no curfew, it’s preposterous to focus on the bus being a school bus forgetting that it could easily have been any other PSV or private vehicle,” the senator said.
“The real focus should be on why bandits are allowed to operate freely along a busy highway and settlement area. It is, therefore, not the victims, including the school head, who should be punished but the security managers allowing banditry to thrive,” Mr Murkomen protested.
Mr Maalim said the police officers deployed to the school were offering round-the-clock security and encouraged learners to attend.
“School managers should limit unnecessary movements, and arrangements must be made to ensure no learner is on the road by 6pm. We do not want a repeat of what happened at Chesuman,” he said.
Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet) Elgeyo Marakwet branch executive secretary Paul Biwott said all schools in the Kerio Valley should be closed as the government had failed to contain insecurity in the region, where over 70 people have been killed in the past six months.
