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Little Shirleen is a living testament to the cruelty of banditry in the North Rift. She was the only survivor of a deadly attack that killed her parents and brother.

The three family members from Baringo met their death after an attack by armed bandits last week.
The family were on a boda boda heading for a meeting when they were ambushed by bandits at Chemoe area in Baringo North constituency.

But what is more touching is how the four-year-old Shirleen survived the deadly attack which has shocked the region.

Innocent Shirleen was found uconscious, soaked in blood but unharmed and cuddled by her mother who lay lifeless.

During her parents and brother’s burial on Saturday, an innocent Shirleen could be seen playing with other children unaware of the tragedy that has hit her family.

Residents believe the gang was on a revenge mission. They shot and and injured scores of other people as they fled the area towards a neighbouring constituency.

A contingent of a multi-agency security officers was deployed to the area to pursue the gang in vain.
Local leaders who attended the burial condemned the killings and called on the security agencies to bring the perpetrators to book.

Baringo Senator William Cheptumo said the government should not relent on its fight against bandits wreaking havoc in the region.

Promised assistance

“The bandits responsible for this heinous act should be brought to book and killed for justice to be served to the bereaved family,” said Cheptumo.

“What a very sad and unfortunate situation to the innocent young girl who has been totally orphaned by the banditry terrorists,” said Cheptumo.

He has promised to assist the family and take care of the girl until she clears her education.

“I undertake to ensure that the future of this child is secured. May the souls of her parents and sibling rest in eternal peace,” said Cheptumo.

“Go to the world and live but the hand of the enemy took the life of her mother and father. But because God is the father of all, she will grow to be a great girl in this country because God will uphold her.

Let’s pray for God to give her strength and long life so that one day we will testify that God is faithful,” he further said.

Government assurance

The killings have been going on despite government assurance that security has been beefed up in the porous region.

During his just concluded tour of his North Rift backyard, President William Ruto declared war on bandits wreaking havoc in the region.

According to the President, the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) officers who are currently stationed in Kerio Valley will permanently be stationed in the area.

“Those other issues you are hearing are the last kicks of a dying horse. I made a commitment that the people of Kerio Valley will have peace. I will make sure I discharge that commitment. The end to banditry is in sight,” President Ruto said in Iten, Elgeyo Marakwet county.

According to Dr Ruto, the government has already procured modern equipment for security agencies which he said will soon be in the country.

He announced that a sub-county will be set up in the banditry prone Kerio Valley and Kollowa in the next 90 days to help in coordinating security matters in the region.

Early last year, government termed six banditry-prone counties in the North Rift among them Turkana, West Pokot, Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo, Laikipia and Samburu as ‘disturbed’ and ‘dangerous’ following the killing of at least 100 civilians and 16 police officers by armed bandits and rolled a security operation conducted by the National Police Service (KPS) with the help of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF).

According to President Ruto, the government through KDF is in the process of reconstructing hundreds of schools which were vandalised as a result of perennial banditry in the North Rift at a cost of Sh100 million.