MOMBASA, Kenya — Wiper Leader Kalonzo Musyoka has sharply criticised the government over what he termed a “catastrophic security failure” following a deadly bandit attack in Tseikuru, Mwingi North, Kitui County, that left seven people dead.
In a strongly worded statement issued Sunday from Bamburi, Mombasa County, Musyoka accused President William Ruto’s administration of failing in its constitutional duty to protect citizens, after armed attackers stormed Kwa Kamari Trading Centre in broad daylight on Saturday afternoon.
“Enough blood has been spilled and the Ruto regime must answer,” Musyoka said, describing the assault as the worst banditry incident in the region in four decades.
According to the statement, about 40 heavily armed assailants opened fire on civilians at approximately 2:00 p.m., killing six men and one woman.
One survivor remains in critical condition. The victims reportedly sustained both gunshot wounds and machete injuries, underscoring the brutality of the attack.
Musyoka questioned how the attackers acquired automatic weapons and moved across county borders undetected. “This was not a spontaneous act. It was organised, coordinated, and executed with military precision,” he said, raising concerns over intelligence and security lapses.
He also directed criticism at Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, accusing the ministry of failing to act despite prior warnings about armed pastoralists allegedly encroaching into the Mwingi North Game Reserve.
“Their presence was known. Their encroachment was reported. The tension was documented,” Musyoka said. “Why were armed men allowed to move freely through Kitui County carrying AK-47 rifles, while residents remained defenceless?”
The opposition leader linked the incident to a broader pattern of insecurity in the region, citing previous displacements and disruptions to livelihoods in areas such as Tseikuru, Kyuso, and Malalani. He argued that repeated incursions by armed groups have gone unchecked, exposing systemic weaknesses in state response.
The Wiper leader called for immediate deployment of additional security personnel to Mwingi North and a comprehensive criminal investigation.
He further demanded the arrest and prosecution of those responsible, alongside a broader disarmament operation targeting illegal firearms in Kitui County and neighbouring regions.
Musyoka extended condolences to the victims’ families, pledging continued pressure for accountability. “Their deaths will not be buried under the weight of political convenience,” he said.
