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A livestock trader was killed while five other people among them a woman are fighting for their lives in various public hospitals in Eldoret and Kitale following vicious attack by a group of armed men at a section of the disputed 700-acre Tunen Farm along the border of Uasin Gishu and Trans Nzoia counties on Saturday night.

Mike Kiptoo, 50, met his tragic death while responding to a distress call from his neighbor whose home had been attacked by the more than 30 machetes wielding gang in what is claimed to be a long standing land ownership dispute in the area.

The two victims were rushed to Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital in critical condition while two others have been admitted at Kitale county referral Hospital from a serious of bows and arrows.

A middle aged woman who also suffered minor panga injuries was treated and discharged from the same public hospital on Saturday afternoon.

Armed with panga

 According to the deceased’s mother Zipporah Lagat, her son was ambushed by the attackers who were armed with pangas and other crude weapons while on a rescue mission to save a neighbor Veronica Chemjor and her family.

She has accused the family of a prominent cereal farmer Mzee Michael Siror , 90 who has laid claim on a section of the disputed parcel of land of being behind the attack with the aim displacing scores of families who bought the land five decades ago to vacate the property.

“ This is the second tragedy that has hit my family after I lost my husband   six months ago due to illness.My son who was my only source of dependence was a harmless  person who had no criminal record since childhood,” cried the elderly widow.

She castigated the police officers based at Kachibora Police Station for taking too long to respond to the attack when they were informed about the incident in the wee hours of the fateful night by local residents.

Transferring officers

Ms Lagat has now asked the Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome to intervene  in their plight by transferring the officers from the workstation whom she accused of being compromised by their perpetrators.

“When we raised an alarm to the police about the impending attack, they shockingly told us off and even threatened to arrest us for disturbing the tycoon’s family peace instead of coming to our rescue.

By the time they arrived at the scene of the attack, my son was already dead and the other five villagers were writhing in pain from panga, bows and arrows injuries,” she said.

The elderly widow said they have never had peace on their parcels of land since the tycoon vowed that he will reclaim  all the property which he says is part of the 700 acres farm he owns single  they purchased through the wrongs of the individuals.

Cherangany sub county OCPD Michael Diang’a confirmed the incident stating that they  are in pursuit of the criminals linked to the attack that claimed the life of one person and who are currently at large.

 “Let me assure the affected families of the security of their lives and property as we pursue the criminal gang that was involved in the vicious attack on innocent families,” said Diang’a.