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Leaders in Kitui County have strongly condemned the brutal killing of a young man in Katuuni area, near Mwanzele Shopping Centre in Nguni Ward, in an incident that has heightened fears over rising insecurity along the county’s border zones.
Speaking following the attack, Nguni Ward MCA and Kitui County Minority Leader Jeremiah Mutua expressed outrage over the killing of Joseph Mutemi, who was reportedly ambushed and hacked to death by suspected camel herders while carrying out his routine charcoal burning activities on his farm.
According to the MCA, the attackers descended on the victim armed with machetes, killing him on the spot before fleeing the scene. The incident has sparked anger among residents, with Mutua describing it as a “cold-blooded and senseless act of violence.”
Mutua noted that Katuuni lies near Katumba area, where the Kitui County Government has planned the construction of a police station aimed at enhancing security. However, he revealed that the project has faced repeated disruptions, with suspected camel herders allegedly attacking county officials on at least four occasions when contractors attempted to access the site under the watch of national government security agencies.
The outspoken leader warned that the situation in the region has deteriorated significantly, claiming that criminal elements masquerading as herders have turned the area into a hotspot for violence and lawlessness.
“We no longer have genuine camel herders along our borders. What we are dealing with is a dangerous group of criminals and murderers who have no regard for human life,” Mutua stated.
He has now issued a 12-hour ultimatum to the national government and security agencies to track down and arrest those responsible for the killing, warning that residents’ patience is running out.
“We demand immediate action. How many lives must be lost for the government to take our security concerns seriously? This young man was known to us, and we will not take this murder lightly. The perpetrators must be brought to book and face the full force of the law,” he added.
The killing has once again brought to the fore the persistent insecurity challenges facing parts of Kitui County, particularly in areas bordering grazing zones, with leaders calling for urgent and decisive intervention to protect lives and restore order.
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