Tension gripped residents of Okumu in Kakamega County after the body of a man was discovered dumped beneath a parked truck.
The victim was reportedly seen the previous evening engaging in normal activities around the area before his tragic death.
“We have met with this man; he ate chips at my shop, he was at another hotel and even went for a drink in a nearby bar before he was found dead this morning. We are asking the government to install security lights here," one resident recounted.
Residents say the incident is the latest in a string of violent attacks and killings that have raised concerns over deteriorating security in the area.
“We are asking the government to intervene; as young men we are just working to provide for our family. However, insecurity has been on the rise in this area. It is very painful for someone to leave the house hoping to provide for his family only to be killed," said another resident.
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Locals described the area as particularly dangerous, citing frequent attacks and robberies.
“A lot of people are accosted, beaten up and even maimed along this road; there has been a lot of theft and killings and we are asking the government to take action,” said another concerned resident.
This tragic incident followed another in Nakuru County where a 24-year-old trader, Elias Mwambili, was shot during a robbery.
The trader was shot in the abdomen during the robbery and succumbed to his injuries while being rushed to hospital.
Sadly, following the ordeal, Mwambili became the fourth fatality in a two-week spate of similar incidents.
Witnesses say three armed men stormed Mwambili’s shop around 8PM, violently assaulting him before one of them fired the fatal shot.
"It was around 8PM when I heard a commotion and when I opened the door I saw two robbers inside the shop beating up Mwambili before pulling him out and continuing beating him. After a while we had a gunshot and the victim stopped screaming," said Monicah Njeri, a nearby resident.
Another eyewitness, Tom Mboya, added, "Two of them had machetes which they use to assault him. When they came out, the last person amongst them had a gun; from what we learned it was an AK47 and he shot the guy. From there they walked away and there was already a waiting motorbike."
