Bandits strike Kitui East, kill One

A contingent of police in Kitui East is pursuing bandits who shot and killed a 29-year-old woman at Katumbi village and kidnapped five locals at Malalani location in Mutito East Sub-County, Kitui County.
The grief stricken Katumbi village is at the Border of Kitui and Tana River Counties.
Confirming the incident Monday, Mutito East Sub-County Police Commander Consanga Malasi said the police are hot on the heels of the bandits adding the culprits will face the law.
“There was a murder incident at Katumbi area involving a 29 year old woman. Those who killed her, are believed to be Somalis. They shot her and we have taken the body to Mutito sub-county hospital morgue,” he said.
Malasi advised the locals not to dare to retaliate after the murder but instead to leave the matter to the police.
He said Somali herders were searching for 100 goats that were stolen by Katumbi residents when the incident occurred. The kidnapped locals are yet to be found and a search team has been mounted.
Last year, Somali herders invaded parts of Kitui East, Kitui south, Mwingi central and North, where they killed a number of locals, with over 3, 000 people fleeing their homes to camp at police stations, thus paralyzing education as many schools especially in Kitui East and South were closed.
Later on Police operations flushed out the Somali herders at Inyali area in Kitui south, where bandits were allegedly hiding and also acted as an armory for their weapons.
In September 2019, leaders from Kitui County met Interior and Coordination of National Government Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiangi over escalating insecurity along the porous border.
By Yobesh Onwong’a