By Rose Mwangangi in Mwingi
April 25, 2026
Seven villagers were on Saturday evening shot dead by armed camel herders in a brutal attack at Kwakamari Market along the Tseikuru–Mwingi road, plunging the area into shock, grief, and rising tension.
The victims — one woman and six men — were targeted in what sources describe as a revenge mission following the killing of three Somali herders a week ago.
According to reports, the assailants, who were travelling in a Toyota Probox, opened fire on civilians in and around the trading centre, executing a coordinated assault that left no chance for escape.
Three of the victims were gunned down within Kwakamari Market, while four others were ambushed outside the centre as they separately went about their daily activities.
The earlier killing of the three herders is said to have involved local National Police Reservists (NPR), who had been pursuing suspects linked to the murder of a villager in the area.
In the aftermath, the KPR officers were reportedly disarmed — a move that sources now believe may have left the community exposed.
With no armed resistance expected, the attackers struck with precision, a factor residents say explains the high death toll recorded in the latest incident.
Beyond the killings, the attackers also descended on a nearby village, torching several homes and leaving families displaced in a wave of destruction that has deepened fear across Tseikuru and its environs.
The raiders left a trail of destruction, burning dow a nearby petrol station motorbikes, shops and literally affecting livelihoods.
The attackers did not steal anything from the victims
Tseikuru Sub-County Police Commander Mr. Mecha Mogeni confirmed the attack, stating that all seven victims died at the scene from gunshot wounds.
“We are pursuing those responsible for this heinous attack. Security operations have been intensified in the area,” said Mogeni, even as he urged residents to remain calm and cooperate with security agencies.
The killings have sharply escalated tensions in the region, with residents decrying what they describe as repeated incursions by armed camel herders, often marked by deadly violence and destruction of property.
Kitui County Commissioner Mr. Erastus Mbui said a total of 7 people have died from previous skirmishes in the area but was unable to put a figure to today’s toll.
He urged for calm as the government attempts to evacuate residents from the dangerous locations where attacks are taking place.
Leaders and locals are now demanding urgent government intervention, warning that the continued cycle of revenge attacks risks plunging the area into prolonged instability.
Turmoil in this area extends South towards Kitui East and has remained unresolved as armed camel herders routinely graze large herds on people’s land and farms.
Attacks like yesterday’s spark instantaneous outbursts from Kitui leaders and officials and the matter dies off soon thereafter.
As security forces move to contain the situation, the attack once again exposes the fragile security environment in northern Kitui, where ordinary routines — from business to travel — are increasingly overshadowed by the threat of armed violence.
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