The discovery of four bodies on Sunday at a farm purportedly belonging to the Kenyan military has incited anger among locals.
The victims, young men, reportedly trespassed on the farm near a Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) barracks in Uasin Gishu county within the Rift Valley region.
They were allegedly there to gather leftover maize from a recent harvest when, as per reports, they were apprehended and fatally beaten by the farm’s guards on Saturday night.
According to local accounts, some of the deceased bore gunshot wounds. Additionally, four other men who were part of the group that intruded on the farm are currently receiving medical treatment at a local hospital for injuries sustained, including gunshot wounds and bruises.
The community’s reaction has been one of indignation, criticizing the use of lethal force by the farm’s guards instead of opting for the arrest of the trespassers.
“They were poor young men struggling to make ends meet. Collecting maize remains was a sign that they were poor and needed to be assisted but not be killed,” a local told privately-owned Standard newspaper.
A police official has confirmed that an investigation into the killings is underway, while the Kenya Defence Forces has not yet addressed the matter publicly.
