By Kipilat Kapusia
A grade six pupil was shot dead near a police station in Chesegon area by suspected bandits believed to be from the neighboring Elgeyo Marakwet County.
Tension is building up along the West Pokot and Elgeyo Marakwet border point after the unfortunate incident.
The pupils at Tirap Primary School were in a company of three others who were searching for mangoes in the area before they were ambushed by the bandits. They then dashed into the thickest but unfortunately, one of them was shot.
The incident occurred at Chesegon near Cheptulel Boys High School about two kilometers from where the police stay at the stalled Chesegon technical institute.
Confirming the incident, West pokot county commissioner Apollo Okello said that during the Thursday afternoon hours eight bandits believed to be from the Marakwet community invaded four juveniles where they fatally shot one namely Regan Kaywa Kibor aged 15 years old.
He added that the other three unidentified juveniles escaped for safety.
“No herds of animals were stolen during the incident. Police officers have been deployed in the area to reduce tension and search for the bandit’s.” He said.
He noted that the body of the juvenile was taken to Kapenguria County Referral Hospital mortuary for preservation and autopsy.
He said the motive of the fatal incident is not yet known since the suspected bandits did not steal anything.
“The security team is on the ground pursuing the bandits,” he said.
Tirap Primary School head teacher Eliud Egoo said the population of teachers and learners in the region has drastically dropped due to rising insecurity.
“Those from the Marakwet side are not coming because of fear. This has affected education standards,” he said.
Melmoh Omidoh, a local, said that tension was in the area since morning where gunshots were heard.
Area leaders led by Sigor MP have condemned the incident saying it is unfortunate that the killing occurred when the security operation to flush out bandits was ongoing in the region.
Mr. Lochakapong noted that many schools in the area have been affected by insecurity.
“There is no security in schools. We need four security men in every school. We need to talk to the President himself. Kenya is not an animal farm. County security team is not telling the truth that no school has been shut down. Employ NPR to guard schools,” he said.
Kenya National Union of Teachers[KNUT] Secretary in West Pokot Martin Sembelo expressed concern over the recent spate of killings along the West Pokot and Elgeyo Marakwet border, a situation that has paralyzed learning in the region thus teachers and learners are staying in fear.
“We need more NPRS and police officers in schools or we shall tell our teachers not to go to the areas,” he said.
He urged the state to deploy security officers in every school in border schools.
“Security of everyone is very important. Insecurity has disturbed exams, curriculum and economy,” he said.
Two months ago, two student girls were gunned down at Ketut village in Marakwet East by bandits who also made away with hundreds of livestock
November last year, Ng’olengura Merire Loremoyese with his son Leonard Lorupe Loremoyese, a standard five pupil at Turkwel Primary school were gunned down while looking after livestock near river Malmate.
Last year, one person, a school driver for Tot High school bus, was killed and 15 students injured in the Aror area in an attack by bandits.
The same month, bandits murdered a teacher coming from church a few meters from his work place, outside the gate of Kipyeobu Primary School, a few kilometers from where the Tot school bus was attacked.
In 2019 a Board of Management [BOM] teacher at Tuliungwo Primary School was gunned down by bandits in the Sokotow area along the Lomut, Chesegon road.
