Tensions in Kapenguria after arrests linked child killings

By Vera Mokeira 

A palpable sense of fear and outrage has gripped Kapenguria following the arrest of twelve foreign nationals suspected of involvement in the horrific killings of minors whose bodies were found dumped in secluded areas around the town.

On Friday, violence erupted along the Kapenguria-Lodwar road as enraged residents stormed and torched several mud-thatched homes believed to have been occupied by the suspects. The chaos was triggered by the grisly discovery of a seven-year-old girl's body near the compound where these individuals had reportedly lived for years.

Inside the premises, authorities later recovered blood-stained school uniforms, textbooks, and what appeared to be human remains. These disturbing finds have deepened suspicions of ritualistic killings or even acts of cannibalism.

Among the distraught locals gathered at the scene was Elizabeth Cheptana, a grieving mother whose child vanished under similar circumstances. "My child disappeared. I’ve searched everywhere. Since that day, I’ve never known where she went."

Another resident, Christine Chepkor, expressed her disbelief at the horrifying 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 escalating tensions, police officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations 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 a thorough investigation.

“We ask for cooperation so we can address the situation and get to the bottom of this."

West Pokot Assistant County Commissioner Elizabeth Ogola also appealed for peace, stressing the importance of allowing investigators to do their work. “Let us not destroy evidence  DCI officers have secured the scene with yellow tape,” she emphasized.