ANG’ATA BARIKOI —As families laid the last of five victims to rest on Wednesday, anger and grief echoed through Narok County. The fatal police shooting of five civilians during a land protest has sparked widespread calls for accountability and justice.
At the funeral of Charles Langat in Keturo village, community leaders, local officials, and mourners gathered not only to grieve but to demand answers.
“We want the government to arrest all the officers involved in the shooting,” said Johanna Ng’eno, Member of Parliament for Emurua Dikirr. “They should trace the weapon that killed Langat. That’s not too much to ask. We are Kenyan citizens, and we have the right to life.”
Langat was the last of the five victims to be buried following the deadly clash on April 28. The confrontation in Ang’ata Barikoi, Kilgoris, stemmed from a bitter dispute over a 6,000-acre piece of land a conflict that has long divided communities in the area. Tensions boiled over when police moved in to disperse protesters. Witnesses say the officers used live rounds.
The killings have laid bare the deep frustrations surrounding land ownership, historical injustices, and the role of law enforcement in a region prone to periodic unrest.
Speaking at the same ceremony, Narok Deputy Governor Tamalinye Koech expressed dismay over the violence.
“We cannot accept the police to kill our people in Ang’ata,” he said. “We are sharing one country, one flag but we will not share our land. You don’t have any right to own our land.”
His words reflect the complexity of the issue. While unity is often preached, the boundaries of ancestral land and the identity tied to it remain fiercely defended.
The government’s response so far has done little to ease public concern.
The Inspector General of Police, Douglas Kanja, has promised an investigation and pledged action against any officers found to have used excessive force. But for many here, promises are no longer enough.
Michael ole Maito, Chair of the Kilgoris Municipal Board, urged equal treatment under the law.
“We want the same urgency and seriousness that was applied in the probe of the late MP Charles Were’s murder,” he said, referring to the high-profile case that has dominated national headlines in recent weeks.
For the people of Narok, the contrast between how justice is served or delayed has become painfully clear.
The local County Commissioner, Kipkech Lotiatia, has been urged to fast-track the probe and ensure those responsible are prosecuted. But as of Thursday morning, no formal charges had been announced, and the identities of the officers involved remain undisclosed.
The Kenya National Commission on Human Rights and several civil society groups have also called for a transparent inquiry. Rights organisations warn that failure to act decisively will only fuel more unrest and deepen mistrust between communities and police.
For now, Ang’ata Barikoi is calm. But beneath the silence lies a community still shaken and watching closely to see if justice will follow the bullets.
“We buried our brother today,” said one mourner. “Now we wait for the truth.”
