In a disturbing development that has sent shockwaves across the region, the Kenyan government has launched a fresh and decisive crackdown targeting foreign nationals from Burundi, Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and specifically Uganda’s Wagisu community residing in West Pokot County. This drastic measure comes in the wake of chilling allegations concerning their suspected involvement in cannibalism and human organ harvesting.
Addressing the press on Tuesday afternoon, West Pokot County Commissioner Khalif Abdullahi announced the far-reaching decision, which was a direct outcome of a critical security committee meeting held in the county. This meeting followed the arrest of 13 suspects in connection with these heinous crimes, prompting an immediate and firm response from authorities.
“The county security committee in its meeting has directed to vet all aliens from Burundi, Rwanda, Congo and the Wagisu Community who are all suspected to have been involved in this hideous crime of cannibalism and harvesting of human organs,” Commissioner Abdullahi stated, underscoring the gravity of the allegations and the breadth of the impending vetting exercise.
While affirming Kenya’s unwavering commitment to regional cooperation under the East African Community (EAC), which champions the free movement of people, Abdullahi made it clear that national security would not be compromised. He emphasized the specific focus on the Wagisu community, noting, “all suspects are from Uganda, from one community of Wagisu, and therefore we are taking these staunch measures to establish their stay here and their activities.” This indicates a targeted approach based on intelligence gathered during the initial investigations.
The County Commissioner further revealed a chilling detail: prime suspects in custody have reportedly confessed to killing and consuming corpses. These individuals, he disclosed, had been living illegally along a road reserve in Bendera. In an immediate response to this discovery, Abdullahi committed to reclaiming the government land without delay. “The prime suspects who have confessed to killing and eating the corpses were living along a road reserve within Bendera and today I have directed that this road reserve be reclaimed. We are going to flatten all those structures they were living in within Bendera by the close of business today,” he declared, signaling swift action to dismantle any potential operational bases for such crimes.
In a move to pre-empt further disorder, Abdullahi also disclosed that police had successfully foiled an attempted mob attack. Youths had allegedly planned to storm Kapenguria Police Station to free the suspects and torch the facility. The County Commissioner issued a stern warning against such destructive behavior, reminding the public that police stations are public utilities constructed by taxpayers' money and bear no relation to the alleged crimes.
Crucially, he also directed a strong caution towards political leaders, warning them against inciting youths to violence. "I want to urge and caution all politicians who are inciting the youths to violence — we are going to prosecute them," Abdullahi stated unequivocally, highlighting the government's resolve to hold accountable any individuals found culpable of instigating unrest.
Commissioner Abdullahi assured the public that investigations were actively ongoing and that authorities had already gathered sufficient evidence to secure convictions. He confirmed that the court had granted the prosecution 21 days to detain the suspects, allowing ample time for the thorough conclusion of investigations.
