General Service Officers attached to the dangerous Kapedo region have expressed fear that warring communities are determined to kill them.
Kapedo is a notorious bandits occupied region that often sees exchanges of fire between Pokot, Turkana and Tugen communities in Rift Valley.
An officer who spoke in confidence said life has become unbearable, forcing them to walk with guns even to the bathroom for security purposes.
In a distress message, the officer insists that the communities in the region view policemen as their enemy even with the fact that they are peace keepers.
"Niko Kapedo. Kapedo boarders Baringo, Marakwet na Turkana East. The area is mainly dominated by Pokot, Tugen and partly Turkana. The three communities are fighting for this town. Both claiming ownership," he said in a distress text.
"In 2013, 20 police officrs lost their lives here. Pokot wamehapa kutuangamiza. Hata ukienda bafu unaenda na bunduki. Hizi jamii tatu pinzani ni adui wa askari licha ya kuwapea ulinzi," he added.
Not far from the region, over 20 police officers were killed on the spot by armed bandits. And few meters away at Suguta Valley, another freshly bunch of graduated officers were killed.
Early this year in Kerio Valley, Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang'i had almost his meeting disrupted when bandits exchanged fire, not far from where he was holding a meeting.
According to the GSU officer, most of those deployed at Kapedo, a town that is disputed by the four communities over boundary, are mainly newly recruited officers.
Security expert John Ondieki, formerly with KDF, said that Parliament should pass a resolution to have KDF at the troubled region.
"I don't think GSU has a capacity to handle those armed bandits. It's high time Parliament allows KDF to be deployed just like in Lamu and Northern Frontier Districts," he said.
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