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Pastor killed as raiders strike in Mt Elgon
THE STANDARD
11. April 2007
By Biketi Kikechi
Suspected Sabaot Land Defence Force militiamen shot dead a pastor and critically wounded a relative of the area MP, in another day of bloodletting in Mt Elgon District.
The gunmen also kidnapped women and stole donkeys and food in a fresh flare-up of violence. This came even as the Government told off critics upset by the slow and indecisive manner it has handled the crisis. The attackers killed in cold blood Pastor Benson Juma Macherewa of Save Our Souls Mission, who was unarmed and defenceless.
The fact he lived only 20m from the Kopsiro Police post did not deter the gunmen, who picked him outside his house with their indiscriminate shooting, fatally wounding him.
He became just another statistic among those Kenya’s killing fields has claimed – over 140, according to Red Cross. The Government, however, has given a more conservative figure of 83.
The fresh attacks came after an Easter weekend of prayers for victims of the senseless violence.
The Catholic Church, in particular, expressed deep concern over the unfolding tragedy, with its Nairobi Archbishop Ndingi Mwana a’Nzeki calling for the sacking of Internal Security minister Mr John Michuki.
Gangs don’t fear police
It emerged that the murdered cleric had moved to "Land B" at Kopsiro trading centre after fleeing from Cheptoror, with hundreds of other clan war victims in Mt Elgon. He lived in a small grass-thatched hut opposite the police post, manned by 35 officers.
The bandits made a complete mockery of the heavy police presence by stationing themselves at strategic positions, before picking out their targets with potshots.
Mr Musa Serut Joram, a brother of Mt Elgon MP John Serut, cheated death, after twice the AK-47 rifle-wielding gang hit him.
He was admitted to the Lugulu Friends Mission Hospital, where three others are nursing gunshot wounds.
Last night, a grieving Mrs Alice Chepkwemoi Macherewa wept uncontrollably as she narrated the deadly 7.45pm Easter Monday attack.
"The door was open and I was serving him and the family supper. I heard gunshots. They were firing straight into the house. One of the bullets hit him, then many more rained on the house," Chepkwemoi recounted amid sobs. "It’s a miracle how I and the children escaped."
The mother of 10 and her children tried to offer first aid to her husband, who was lying in a pool of blood, fighting for air.
"He asked that I take him outside," said the widow, who turned down the plea because there was still shooting outside.
"More than 20 bullets were fired. I picked four live bullets with one spent cartridge in the morning."
Mothers’ agony
Her’s is a story of a devastated woman, deprived of the little property she owned and now the family breadwinner. In the tiny hut were two small wooden chairs, a mattress and a few scattered utensils.
Said she: "They stole my donkey a few months ago. They then came for my goat, burned our house and maize. That is when we decided to move to a safer place."
They had been allocated five acres in the Chebyuk Settlement Three scheme, where the fighting began four months ago. On Tuesday, she said she had no clue how she would feed the 10 mouths, all of them in primary school.
They, however — just like other local children— stopped going to school after the learning institutions were closed because of the raging war.
At Lugulu, Serut’s brother said they had just taken supper and were preparing to sleep at about 8pm when the terror gang struck.
"I heard loud footsteps outside and thought they were police officers on patrol, but realised they were thugs when they kicked the door," said Joram.
He noticed that they had surrounded the house before unleashing terror on the family.
The former Administration Police officer struggled and briefly held the door back before the bullets began flying into the house.
One missed its target; another grazed his waist, while a third fractured his right arm.
"I cried out, saying I was dead. Probably they thought I had died because they left immediately," said Joram.
He then dashed out of the house and hid in a nearby maize plantation before walking to the police post, where he found the pastor dead.
Joram had also moved from Cheptoror a few weeks ago to stay with his brother, Mr Charles Ndiwa, in another hut.
Joram’s wife, Margaret, was spreading a mattress on the floor when the gunshots sent them hiding under the bed.
Land allocation suspended
After accomplishing their mission in under 15 minutes, the raiders disappeared into the expansive Chepkitale forest.
At Lugulu, Mr Collins Kipruto, Mr Alex Tenderesi and Mr Alex Msituni were also nursing gunshots at the surgical ward.
The duty nurse, Ms Agnes Kimunguyi, said they were responding well to treatment and one was to be discharged yesterday.
Earlier yesterday, the Government announced it had revoked the allocation of land to over 1,700 people in the troubled Chebyuk scheme, which had 7,000 applicants.
Western PC, Mr Abdul Mwasserah, said the move was aimed at restoring peace and ending the land clashes that have displaced over 40,000 people.
"Following lengthy meetings with local leaders, we have resolved that we nullify the allocation of land in the scheme," said the PC.
He was addressing the Press in his boardroom after a meeting with former MPs Mr Joseph Kimkung and Mr Wilberforce Kisiero.
Assistant minister Serut, who has been accused by the Sabaot Land Defence Force of fuelling the clashes, did not attend.
But the PC said Serut was abroad on official duty and was in agreement with the resolution.
He said the land allocation would be suspended for one month as the Government looked for ways of settling the landless.
Western Provincial Police Officer, Mr Peter Kavila, and the acting Mt Elgon DC, Mr Julius Otieno, attended the meeting.
The move follows an outcry from local leaders who protested against the manner of allocation.
"Leaders complained the exercise was marred by corruption and other malpractices. That is why we have decided to nullify the exercise, if this would restore peace and order," he said.
Additional reporting by Jessica Nyaboke, Peter Atsiaya and Joel Okwayo
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