Tragic KDF Chopper Crash Highlights Persistent Security Challenges in Kerio Valley’s Kaben Area
The rugged terrain of Kaben makes it arduous for security personnel to promptly respond to distress calls during incursions by heavily armed bandits.
The Kaben area, situated at the border of Elgeyo Marakwet and West Pokot counties, where the tragic Kenya Defense Force (KDF) chopper crash claimed five lives, is emblematic of the ongoing challenges posed by banditry and cattle rustling in the Kerio Valley region.
The rugged terrain of Kaben makes it arduous for security personnel to promptly respond to distress calls during incursions by heavily armed bandits. Moreover, Kaben’s agricultural suitability for mangoes, millets, pineapples, and groundnuts juxtaposes with its security challenges, bordering Sigor constituency in West Pokot and Tiaty in Baringo county.
The ill-fated chopper, which departed from Cheptulel Boys secondary school in Marakwet East constituency, tragically crashed shortly after takeoff, claiming the lives of five individuals, while three managed to survive and were airlifted from the scene.
Elgeyo Marakwet County Police Commander Peter Mulinge confirmed the incident to the media, detailing the swift response by KDF personnel to airlift survivors and cordon off the crash site for investigation.
The broader issue of inadequate infrastructure, particularly poor road networks in Marakwet East Sub County, exacerbates security challenges, providing bandits unhindered access to perpetrate illegal activities.
Despite security operations led by various law enforcement agencies, including the KDF, many residents remain displaced, reluctant to return home due to lingering fears of further attacks.
Local resident Felix Suter highlighted the impact of insecurity on education, noting the closure of public schools as families sought refuge in safer areas, particularly the escarpment.
Reliable sources indicate that the KDF officials were conducting a security assessment tour of the affected areas, aiming to restore normalcy before the reopening of schools shuttered by recurrent banditry attacks.
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