Killings raise red flag over Marsabit County's state of insecurity
Sololo town in Marsabit County.
The death of people over the past two days in two separate incidents have raised concerns about the state of security in Marsabit County.
In the first incident, a motorist was killed by a mob on the Laisamis-Marsabit highway in Parkishon on Friday.
The man, identified by police as Mr Daniel Kemboi Maiyo from Eldoret and who was a worker at Marsabit Madiwa Coca Cola depot, was accosted by a mob on the highway.
Marsabit Central Sub-county Police Commander David Muthure said the victim was pelted with stones by angry youths who were armed with other crude weapons as he drove from Isiolo to Marsabit.
‘The deceased’
“The deceased was among other motorists waylaid by rioters who barricaded the Isiolo-Marsabit highway on Friday morning,’’ Mr Muthure said. His body was taken to Marsabit County Referral Hospital mortuary for a post-mortem examination.
Other motorists who were attacked include Mabruk Bus that plies the Moyale-Nairobi highway. The assailants were reportedly protesting the killing of three herdsmen in Songa and Badassa locations on Thursday.
Mr Muthure said unruly residents of Parksihon barricaded the Isiolo-Marsabit highway, accosted travellers and also stole property of unknown value during the skirmishes.
Transport was interrupted for hours as security officers moved swiftly to contain the situation and restore calm.
Mr Muthure appealed to motorists who have been attacked along the busy highway to report and help identify the suspects.
Meanwhile, two young men were killed in a retaliatory attack in Kambiye in Loiyangalani.
Angry youths
Loiyangalani Sub-county Police Commander John Losia said 28 camels were stolen on Friday.
Following the incident, angry youths killed two young men — Loitibik Kochale, aged 22 years, and 15-year-old Chiro Kahle — and also injured Lopole Kahle (20 and Safo Lengaripe aged 15 years.
The bodies of the victims were transferred to Marsabit Referral Hospital morgue and the injured rushed to Loglogo health centre.
The worsening state of insecurity has elicited mixed reactions from residents.
Speaking to the Nation on phone, Anglican Marsabit Diocese Bishop Wario Qampicha termed the barricading of highways and robbing of travelers by goons as an outrageous and backward way of resolving conflicts.
He said the elite in the county had a huge influence on the conflicts in the region.
He called on all the feuding communities to unanimously agree to be pro-peace ambassadors even the ordinary residents in the villages would follow suit.
“All these nasty bloodletting incidents in Marsabit County would immediately end if the political elite agree to be peace ambassadors and speak the same language,’’ Bishop Qampicha said.
