Tension is running high in Angata Barikoi, Kilgoris, after a violent confrontation over a disputed 6,300-acre piece of land left five people dead. The fatal shootings on Monday have reignited long-standing fears over land rights and the excessive use of force during protests.
Eyewitnesses reported that the victims were part of a group demonstrating against the alleged grabbing of ancestral land, said to be linked to a powerful political figure from the region. Amid cries of anguish, residents accused the General Service Unit officers of opening fire on unarmed protesters, including women and youth.
Narok Senator Ledama Olekina, a vocal advocate for the protection of communal lands, condemned the killings and called for an immediate investigation. Olekina vowed to personally visit Angata Barikoi to stand with the affected families and demanded justice for the victims.
The deadly incident has once again thrown the spotlight on Kenya’s unresolved land disputes, particularly in historically marginalized regions like Narok, where political interests and communal rights often collide with devastating consequences.
