69 heads of cattle stolen in fresh Baringo attack

A fresh attack by armed cattle rustlers has been reported in Arabal area in Baringo County, with 69 heads of cattle stolen.

According to Baringo County Commissioner Peter Okwanyo, the raiders believed to be from the Pokot community numbering more than five struck the village at night before making away with the livestock.

Okwanyo says security officers have been deployed to Arabal and are pursuing the rustlers although no stolen cattle has been recovered yet even as tension remains high in the area.

“The information we got from the chief is that armed Pokot raiders went there and took 69 cows. Security teams were informed but have not recovered the animals [yet],” said Okwanyo.

Meanwhile, hundreds of residents from Chemolingot area in Tiaty Costituency, Baringo County, have staged a mass demonstration to protest the assassination of two political leaders from the area.

Led by Baringo County Assembly Speaker William Kamket, the residents gave the government two days to identify and apprehend the culprits in the Friday night (February 17) murder.

The deceased, Kibet Cheretei – Member of Baringo County Assembly for Loyamorok ward, and a Jubilee parliamentary aspirant, Pepee Kitambaa, were selectively killed when ambushed in a nightclub in Marigat Town in the company of five others.

A vehicle belonging to the deceased MCA was also torched and another belonging to the aspiring MP badly damaged.

Baringo County Governor Benjamin Cheboi, however, appealed to the residents to calm down and allow police to unravel the assassinations.

Tension remains high in both Chemolingot and Marigat Towns in Baringo South following the killings.