Grief-stricken villagers flocked the home of a 17-year-old boy who was brutally murdered in Kabore, Kesses Constituency on Thursday for his burial.
Joash Cheruiyot, a standard seven pupil, was killed by unknown attackers on the night of September 9, in a motorcycle robbery incident.
The attackers slit his throat and escaped with the bodaboda he had been using to earn extra cash since he was not going to school during the ongoing teachers' strike.
The villagers broke into tears as the boy’s body was lowered to the grave in what they describe as the most shocking murder in the village.
The burial was attended by area chief Lilian Karone among other village leaders who publicly condemned the brutal act.
"It is a disgrace to the community that such things can happen without us taking up responsibility of each other, we should therefore embrace unity to curb insecurity in this region," Karone said.
She pledged that key security measures would be put in place and vigilance intensified to combat crime in the area.
"We will embark on community policing that will enable us identify unknown residents with ill motives. Proper management of bodaboda should also be ensured so that they can operate under certain limits of time especially at night," the chief added.
While relating the incident to recent cases of insecurity reported in Nandi County involving bodaboda operators, Karone called on both counties to work as a team to provide safety for the business operators.
Among other key speakers was the head teacher of Kabore Primary School, Mr John Paul where the teenager was studying. He termed his student’s death as a great loss to the community.
"He was a hard working boy who gave all he had to succeed both academically and in co-curricula activities," he said.
He also urged parents to take care of their children during the on-going nationwide teachers’ strike.
Cheruiyot was the last born in a family of seven, with three sisters and three brothers.