Baringo Residents Stage Protests After Police Officers Shoot and Injure 4 People

Residents of Barwesa in Baringo County clashed with the police on Monday in running battles as they protested the cases of theft and shooting of four men by the police on Sunday night over suspected involvement in cattle rustling.

The residents blocked major roads within Barwesa township using stones as police struggled to disperse them.

Additionally, they set car tyres on fire, paralysing transport and disrupting economic and social activities in the township.

Undeterred, the residents vowed to march to the Deputy County Commissioner’s office in the region to protest the shooting of the four suspects and the increased cases of livestock theft in the area.

Videos and images viewed by Kenyans.co.ke, depicted the residents holding twigs, placards, and slaughtered animal remains during the protests.

Police reports indicated that the four were shot after officers on patrol discovered they had slaughtered a sheep allegedly stolen during a raid on a local home.

Earlier reports suggested that residents had previously complained about the increasing incidents of theft, with their livestock being targeted by rustlers.

This prompted security officers in the area to embark on night patrols to curb the menace, during which they allegedly stumbled upon the four suspects.

The four were admitted to Baringo Teaching and Referral Hospital, where they are currently receiving treatment for gunshot wounds.

At the time of publishing, the Baringo County Commissioner was scheduled to hold a media briefing on the incident.

Baringo County and parts of the Rift Valley region have been under the command of a multi-agency team deployed by President William Ruto to combat the deadly cattle rustling syndicate.

However, normalcy appears to be returning due to the team’s efforts, with the Ministry of Interior reporting that most of the schools previously closed in the region due to insecurity are being reopened in phases.