Writers Leo Odera Omolo In Kericho Town.
Insecurity is on the alarming increase on the Kericho-Kisumu highway and the time is ripe for the Provincial Administration and police authorities in both Nyanza and Rift Valley Provinces to urgently consider the possibility of beefing u night patrol along this particular rod.
The worse part of the road is the portion around the Kaitui Market and the Muhoroni junction. The road is currently undergoing major repair forcing motorist to be diverted through the narrow and poor murrum roads pushing them out of the tarmac. This is slowing down the motorists and as such exposing them to attack by heavily armed thugs.
The latest incident occurred two weeks ago when 15 members of the Administration Policemen from various stations in Western Kenya who travelling to Nairobi for routine course and dozens of passengers during the night were ambushed by six men armed with six pistols and AK 47 rifles and robbed of money, mobile phones and other valuables at gun-points.They criminals ransacked pockets and luggage of the passengers and made away with unspecified property worth thousands of shilings
This particular incident occurred near the Muhoroni junction, a dangerous spot where some motorist has been attacked even during day lights. The road has become extremely dangerous to the users either motorist or motor bike and even pedestrians.
The criminal thugs usually and positioning themselves at strategically isolated part of the road, which is far away from the usually crowded trading centers and market places.
An incident which left residents of Kericho Town in the state of shock was when the eight heavily armed men and a woman stormed a major wholesale shop right in the middle of the town and made an attempt to steal more than Kshs 2 million
During the early morning attempted robbery at the Mutai Wholesalers. This was the first major one to occur in Kericho score of people were left injured or suffered gun shots. The police acted promptly and killed four of the attacked and nabbed two of them one of the later to turned to be a serving soldier in the Kenya army.
It was through the spirit of cooperation by members of the public which enable the police to overcome the gun-totting criminals after a long hide and seek chase through the densely populated Kipsigis villages. Some of the thugs were clobbered and stoned by members of the public who joined the police in the long chase, which ended up near Kenegut Center in Soin Division. The sounds of guns sent the villagers scampering for safety not knowing what was happening in the surroundings. On e of the thugs was fishing out of a sugar cane plantation after his gun had run short of ammunition.
Residents of Kericho and its environs, however, were grateful for the quick action by the police who handled the situation with seal and in a high professional manner. Such commendable action by police in Kericho by would definitely deter thugs to think twice before embarking on similar heist the future.
In other word, the residents of the area, which is prone to thuggery have urged the road construction contractors to hasten their work and ensure that they completed the Kaitui-Awasi portion within the quickest period of time possible, as it expose members of travelling public to danger.
Ends