Three children shot dead by bandits on their way to school in Kenya

Three children were shot dead in an ambush on their way to school in Kenya.

The car they were travelling in was sprayed with bullets, killing them and the driver, said a police chief whose son was one of the victims.

The children were heading to their school at Kapedo in Baringo County when they were attacked.

Kapedo police chief Josephat Lopalal said his child – a form one student at Kapedo High School – was killed.

He added: “They were on their way to Kapedo from Marigat aboard a land cruiser vehicle when the incident occurred. The suspected Pokot bandits laid an ambush on them at Ameyan and sprayed bullets on the car, killing the four on the spot.”

There has been unrest in the area for several years. The Tukana community living in Marigat and Pokot have been involved in a conflict caused by cattle raids and dispute over herding grounds.

Bandit attacks and flooding have kept more than 5000 children out of school in Baringo County. Over 30 schools are closed, according to Joshua Cheptarus, Baringo secretary of the Kenya National Union of Teachers.

“It is quite unfortunate that as other learners embark on their second term studies, pupils in Baringo cannot resume classes due to floods and insecurity,” Cheptarus said.

Many teachers fled from Baringo County because of the frequent attacks.

“Learning has resumed in only a few schools where security officers have been deployed,” added Cheptarus.