A heavy cloud of fear and outrage hangs over Kapenguria following the arrest of twelve foreign nationals linked to the horrific killing of minors and the dumping of their bodies in secluded areas of the town.
Violence erupted on Friday along the Kapenguria-Lodwar road after furious residents stormed and torched several mud-thatched homes believed to have been occupied by the suspects.
The chaos was sparked by the grisly discovery of a seven-year-old girl’s body dumped near the compound where the individuals had reportedly lived for years.
Authorities later recovered blood-stained school uniforms, textbooks, and what appeared to be human remains inside the premises, deepening suspicions of ritualistic killings or possible acts of cannibalism.
Elizabeth Cheptana, a grieving mother, was among the distraught locals who gathered at the scene. Her child went missing under similar circumstances. “My child disappeared… I’ve searched everywhere. Since that day, I’ve never known where she went,” she said tearfully
Another resident, Christine Chepkor, expressed disbelief at the discovery: “We found the uniforms in their house… soaked in blood and feces. Where are the children? Are they alive or have they died?”
In response to the rising tensions, police officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) cordoned off the scene, urging locals to remain calm and preserve evidence. Kapenguria OCS Evans Omanga pleaded with the crowd to reopen the blocked road, promising thorough investigations.
“We ask for cooperation so we can address the situation and get to the bottom of this,” he said.
West Pokot Assistant County Commissioner Elizabeth Ogola also appealed for peace, emphasizing the need to allow investigators to do their work. “Let us not destroy evidence… DCI officers have secured the scene with yellow tape,” she stated.
