Rift Valley Regional Coordinator Wanyama Musiambo has denied claims that some police officers were injured after bandits attacked a peace meeting they were addressing in Mukutani, Baringo County two days ago.
Addressing the press in his office yesterday , Musiambo said that the bandits tried to interrupt the meeting which was also attended by Baringo Governor Benjamin Cheboi but were overpowered by security agents who repulsed them.
“We heard gunshots aimed at our direction during the meeting and people scampered for safety but we took charge and engaged the criminals before any harm was done,” He said.
He added that the bandits aim was to destroy the gain and confidence the residents had on the police during the operation by trying to fire at the police to dare them.
“They made a silly attempt to shoot at a meeting full of women and children and wanted to destroy all the gains we made during the beginning of the operation,” He said.
He however denied allegations that a group of police officers were massacred by bandits in the area while on operation to restore order and sanity after a series of insecurity in the area.
“We do not have any casualties in the side of police officers, no officer has been injured either slightly or fatally since we started the operation,” he said.
He commended the officers efforts since the start of the security operation saying that their moral is very high adding that they all have vowed to push on with the operation until sanity is restored in Baringo.
Musiambo faulted the people spreading information that police officers have been killed by bandits adding that the officers are well and all their welfare during the entire operation has been taken care of by the government.
He added that normalcy has been restored in the area adding that over 33 schools have reopened in both the south and north baringo since Monday and that 1,133 pupils had gone back to class.
“Schools from the north and south had reopened and pupils have gone back to school since Monday because we have provided security in the regions,” he said.
About 40 schools had been closed for several weeks following deadly banditry attacks that left many dead and more than 30,000 displaced. Among those killed are two teachers, a new mother and a chief.
According to Musiambo the schools that were reopened included Nyimbei, Kasiela, Kapndasim, Chebinyiny, Arabal, Chemorongion, Kapkechir, Keon and Kapkechir.
