A General Service Unit (GSU) officer was on Tuesday gunned down on the volatile Kerio Valley region in the rising spate of banditry attacks.
Confirming the incident, Marakwet East police commander Mr Vincent Kitili said the officer based at the Tot GSU camp was killed by suspected cattle rustlers from the neighbouring Pokot community.
He said the slain officer died while attempting to secure his animals from being driven away by the bandits.
"I can confirm that the slain officer was based at the Tot GSU camp. At the time of his death, he was on leave and he was shot while guarding his animals along the Marakwet Pokot border," Kitili said.
For the last one month, banditry cases have been rising along the Kerio river which is a common watering point for the warring Marakwet, Baringo and Pokot herding communities.
The matter has even compelled the Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen to call on interior CS Fred Matiang'i and Inspector General of police (IG) Mutyambai to intervene.
In a social media statement, Murkomen revealed that the top security bosses would be touring the volatile region in a few days. By the time of going to press, the duo is yet to act even as the region continues to bleed for peace.