Leaders have faulted the police shooting incident that claimed the lives of five residents and left several others injured in Kolongolo, Trans Nzoia County. Two police officers had been sent to arrest a domestic violence suspect, but locals intervened after protesting the brutal way the officers handled the suspect, and the officers opened fire. Trans Nzoia Governor Patrick Khaemba condemned the incident and called for action to be taken against the police officers who were behind the killings. “We want the Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet and Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i to intervene,” he said, adding that the police officers who shot the residents must be immediately locked up. He added that all the policemen who were involved must be immediately to facilitate an open space for investigations. “We demand for a judicial commission of inquiry to look at the truth of this matter, what happened, what transpired so that people can be held accountable,” he said.
The County Assembly speaker Joshua Werunga was also caught up in the melee and he is nursing injuries at the Mediheal hospital in Eldoret. West Media’s Peter Nyongesa and Citizen’s Edwin Namasaka were also attacked by police officers as they arrived at the screen to cover the incident, despite attempts to introduce themselves.
On his part, Kwanza MP Ferdinand Wanyonyi blamed the police officers for using excessive force in dealing with the situation. He said that he also went to the scene to try and calm the police officers but they never gave heed to him and another MCA who had accompanied him, as they witnessed the brutal scene “They continued shooting live bullets,” he said. He said that the police post in the area from should be closed, and a new team should be posted to take charge of security matters in the area.
The County Commissioner Erastus Mbui confirmed the incident and said one officer has been disarmed and arrested in connection with the incident. Mbui, who visited the area urged residents to be calm as investigations have been launched.
