LAIKIPIA, Kenya, Sep 7 – A fierce shootout ensued between a team of multi-agency security operatives and suspected bandits in the volatile Ol moran area of Laikipia county moments after the bandits set ablaze a primary school in the area.
The bandits torched Melgwete Primary school that is located in Ol Moran area in Laikipia North.
Attempts by the security forces to neutralize the bandits proved futile after they fled into the wilderness.
A group of journalists accompanying security officers and area leaders were caught up in the chaos but were quickly whisked to safety.
They were on a mission to establish the scale of the chaos when bandits engaged in a shootout with police.
No one was reportedly injured during the attack.
Rift Valley Regional Coordinator George Natembeya who had launched a security operation about four kilometers away in Ol Moran town said the bandits are in possession of heavy firearms.
“The guns they are using are M-16, theses guns are normally in the hands of the foreign troops (those doing their training in the nearby area )how they end up in the hands of civilians we do not know. Kenya police are assigned to used AK-47 and G-3 rifles…M-16 is not a police issue firearm…where are they coming from?” sad Natembeya.
“The school is among others that were closed due to the insecurity in Laikipia and there were no pupils in school when the incident occurred,” said Natembeya.
Tension remains high in Ol Moran area with five people being killed in the last six days.
Several schools in the area including: Survey Primary and Secondary school, Mirango, Ndunyu Loi, Magadi, Mirigwite primary schools have since been forced to close due to the raging violence.
Area leaders have since condemned the incident saying it was a big shame such an incident could occur amidst the heavy deployment in the area.
“We have managed to avoid being shot to death, our children are not in school and the CS (Matiang’i), the Regional Commissioner (Natembeya) are talking big but our people are dying. It is only the president who can now send the KDF here, the police cannot do anything here, ” said Laikipia North MP Sarah Lekorere.
But Natembeya said, “We are satisfied with the work our security agencies have done and we believed in the next 10 days we will be down with the security operation in this area.”
Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i Monday revealed that the National Security Advisory Council (NSAC) chaired by President Uhuru Kenyatta resolved to declare the Laikipia Nature Conservancy and its environs as a disturbed area and therefore a security operation zone.
A dusk to dawn curfew has been declared in the area.
“All leaders including politicians, businessmen, public officers and others who have illegally moved their livestock into the conflict zone to remove the same from there within 48 hours,” said Matiang’i in a statement.
Residents continue to flee their homes with hundreds seeking refuge in churches and police stations.
Over the weekend close to 50 houses were torched in several villages across Ol Moran.
Ol Moran area is among seven others gazetted by the government and classified as dangerous and unsafe.
Areas under government surveillance include the Laikipia Nature Conservancy owned by conservationist Kuki Gullman in Laikipia West, government-owned ranches; ADC Mutara ranch in Laikipia West and 80,000 – acre Kilmon farm, Mugie Ranch, Loisaba and Kirimon Nature National Reserve in Laikipia North.
Recently in a meeting with Rift Valley Regional Coordinator George Natembeya area leaders faulted the government’s decision to withdrawn National Police Reservists saying armed bandits took advantage of the vacuum to terrorize residents.
Natembeya however announced plans by the government to redeploy the police reservists in a bid to reinforce the security team already running an operation on the ground particularly in areas classified as volatile.
“The motive of the armed criminals is to displace residents from their land..the government will however not allow this,” said Natembeya.
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