A charcoal burner was shot dead in a Samburu forest on Sunday evening in an attack that has left residents shaken and police searching for answers.
The victim, identified by police as Joseph Long, 39, was with several others clearing bushes for charcoal production in the Loko area when gunmen opened fire. Long was struck in the head and died instantly. His colleagues fled into the forest to escape.
The attackers disappeared into the bush soon after. Locals later carried Long’s body on foot for several kilometres to a nearby mortuary.
Police said the motive remains unclear. “We are investigating the incident and following up on leads,” one officer told reporters, declining to speculate on why Long may have been targeted.
Witnesses, however, suggested the gunmen were likely cattle rustlers. Residents told police they counted about 20 men moving through the area in search of livestock.
The killing comes as cattle rustling continues to destabilise parts of northern Kenya, despite a heavy security presence. Samburu is among the counties under a special police operation aimed at dismantling armed groups blamed for raids, killings and livestock theft.
In a separate incident in neighbouring Meru County, police officers from the Anti-Stock Theft Unit were ambushed while on patrol in the Shaffa area. A fierce gun battle ensued.
During the clash, authorities confirmed, one officer lost his G3 rifle and 20 rounds of ammunition after the weapon became stuck in a vehicle door. He was forced to abandon it as bandits advanced. The attackers seized the rifle and escaped before reinforcements arrived.
The officers hid in nearby bushes until backup teams reached the scene. No casualties were reported.
Security forces have been conducting widespread operations across Samburu, Marsabit, Isiolo, Turkana, Meru, Laikipia, Elgeyo Marakwet, Baringo and West Pokot to curb cattle rustling. Yet the raids persist, fuelling insecurity and stalling development across the arid north.
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