Baringo County leaders have called on the government to take action on criminals who attacked a local primary school on Tuesday, holding pupils hostage for the whole day.
The leaders who visited the school on Wednesday to assess the situation were led by area Senator William Cheptumo, Baringo South MP Charlse Kamuren, and County Woman Representative Florence Jematia.
The Kenya Defence Forces have since been deployed to the troubled Kapindasum,Baringo South, a day after hundreds of bandits staged a siege on a General Service Unit camp and school.
Area MP Charles Kamuren has also urged the government to investigate a blue chopper which is reported to have been seen landing at Kororon Hills of Tandare and, according to the lawmaker, is suspected to have been used to supply rounds of ammunition to bandits.
“Our pupils were made to lie down for many hours during the ambush, and I want to ask the government to investigate with immediate effect and possibly make arrests,” Kamuren noted.
He further expressed concern that residents were living in fear after the attack, which took several hours, describing it as an unfortunate incident where innocent schoolchildren suffered mental torture.
“We have come to undertake a spot check of Kapindasum after yesterday’s daring attack at the school and the GSU by an unknown number of bandits, and we urge the government to move quickly to boost security,” Kamuren said.
His sentiments were echoed by Cheptumo, who urged the government to move with speed and flush out the bandits in the area, noting that the national examinations set to start in a few days’ time would be disrupted if security was not beefed up.
The KDF officers, in collaboration with other police units, will work closely to ensure pupils in Kapindasum Primary take their national examinations peacefully, which are scheduled to start next week.
Gabriel Tongoyo, the security chair at the National Assembly, visited the area with the local leaders and assured the locals that the government will ensure peace is restored in the region.
By Caroline Cherono
