Families have been displaced and are desperately seeking shelter after armed gangs terrorized the Angata Barikoi area in Transmara, burning down more than thirty houses and leaving a trail of destruction.
According to reports, several people are nursing injuries following violent clashes between two communities in the area, with the conflict stemming from a long-standing land dispute that has claimed lives and left hundreds homeless.
On Tuesday morning, armed youths launched a brutal ambush on Rotik village, torching homes and forcing residents to flee for their lives.
The attack has displaced hundreds of families who have sought refuge in schools and other safe locations, abandoning their homes, livestock, and belongings.
The violence is not an isolated incident. According to residents, the attacks have been ongoing for an extended period, with devastating consequences for the community.
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"They have attacked us many times, not once. They have killed two children, one in grade 7, and grade 1," one distressed resident told reporters.
The situation is dire, with displaced families facing acute shortages of food and basic necessities. Many residents managed to flee with only what they could carry, leaving behind their livelihoods and possessions.
"We have run from our homes and moved to this school for safety. We carried all we could, but now we have no food, children are crying out of hunger," one woman said.
Another resident, forced to abandon a home they had lived in for over three decades, shared their anguish, "We have left our home, we have nothing. We are just on the road. We left cows, goats, and chickens. We have lived there for more than 3 decades, but we had to leave."
Kilgoris Member of Parliament Julius Sunkuli has made an urgent appeal to Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen to personally intervene in the escalating crisis.
"CS Murkomen, come to Transmara and make peace. We want to see police and soldiers here. We need help. You need to come and disarm those with illegal weapons," MP Sunkuli said, emphasizing the need for immediate government action.
This comes a few weeks after a deadly incident in Isiolo County highlighted the growing security challenges facing pastoral communities in Kenya.
On Sunday, November 30, three National Police Reservists lost their lives in a bandit attack in Chari, Merti, Isiolo County.
The officers were ambushed by heavily armed bandits while on night duty protecting livestock in the area. The assailants were believed to have originated from the neighboring Samburu County.
Merti Sub-County Deputy County Commissioner Michael Kioni verified the attack, noting that the NPR officers were carrying out their duties when they came under sustained fire from the well-armed attackers.
Following that incident, the Deputy County Commissioner attempted to calm residents' fears, stating that the government was implementing measures to strengthen security in the region.
Kioni also pledged that law enforcement agencies were actively pursuing the attackers to bring them to justice and prevent similar occurrences.
