NAKURU, Kenya, May 27 – The number of lives lost in clashes among communities along Nakuru-Narok border increased to eight Wednesday morning after a man in Ndeffo withing Nakuru’s Njoro subcounty, the latest victim to be shot with an arrow, succumbed.
The raiders are said to have broken into Mzee Johana Wang’ang’a Muchiri’s house and fatally shot him with an arrow in the chest on Tuesday night.
His son, Samuel Kibaa, said the raiders struck at about 1:00am and managed to enter the house through the door which had not been enhanced with grill. Nothing was stolen from the home.
Irate residents accused authorities of inaction, citing failure by police to repulse the assailants despite heightened tension along the border in recent days.
The area has been experiencing intercommunity tensions since late 1990s.
Area lawmaker Charity Kathambi, MCA George Kiere and Njoro Sub County Police Commander Mohammed Huka however calmed the residents while committing to spearhead talks in a bid to calm tensions.
The incident on Tuesday came just a day after a middle-aged man was admitted to the Nakuru County Referral Hospital with an arrow lodged in his back after he was shot during an ethnic conflict in Olposimoru along the Nakuru-Narok border.
Three others who were shot with arrows in different parts of their bodies were hospitalized at Olenguruone Sub County Hospital.
The four are said to have been involved in an inter-communal clash in Mau Forest Complex.
Tension is still high in Olposimoru, Narok North sub county, which has been experiencing sporadic ethnic clashes for more than a decade.
Olposimoru Assistant Chief Jackline Kool said local national administration officials had been working to contain the situation since Sunday to prevent an escalation.
Kool said a recent meeting to find a solution to the pasture feuds that escalated to all out tribal conflicts bore no fruits.
Chaos broke out Sunday evening when four mean were shot with arrows at the Olenamuga forest bloc of the Mau Forest Complex sending panic across several villages including Tegat and Olmariko.
Kuresoi South Deputy County Commissioner Patrick Mwangi said security personnel from Nakuru had been dispatched to enhance security along Nakuru-Narok border in a move aimed at averting a spillover of the chaos.
“Most of these injuries would be rushed to Olenguruone subcounty because it is the nearest facility that can handle the emergencies but we are taking caution to ensure that our people do not cross over to Narok to get involved in chaos,” he added.
Olenguruone subcounty Hospital Medical Superintendent Solomon Bera said three more people with arrow wounds had been booked for surgery.
“Two had arrow injuries on the lower limbs and currently we are attending one patient with arrow injury on the back,” said Bera.
