A well-known Maasai Mara tour guide, Stephen Lukivi Ekero, was among two individuals killed during a violent night of ethnic clashes in Matigari village, Laikipia County. The attacks, which erupted overnight, have left the area reeling in fear and mourning.
The incident occurred amid rising tensions between rival ethnic communities, who have been clashing over land and agricultural resources.
The violence broke out when a group of locals—many armed with knives, pangas, and other farming tools—invaded a disputed rice field, triggering confrontations that spiraled out of control.
As hostilities escalated, chaos gripped the village. Residents scrambled to flee their homes under cover of darkness, while gunfire echoed through the night, according to eyewitnesses.
Among those caught in the deadly violence was Ekero, a father of four, who had just returned from his job in the Maasai Mara for a short two-day break.
His wife recounted that he had briefly returned home to prepare for his next assignment when the attack unfolded.
“Everyone was running away to save their lives, but he went back to pick up his bag,” she explained tearfully.
“That’s when he was ambushed and attacked. He didn’t make it out alive.”
The attackers also set fire to several homes during the rampage, leaving many families homeless. Witnesses described a horrific night, with entire households destroyed and people forced to seek shelter far from their village.
One local religious leader, Pastor Jackson Taipaof of Crossroad Baptist Church, revealed that many victims, including the second man who died, had attempted to seek refuge indoors.
“He had locked himself inside his house when he heard gunshots and saw people being attacked. But the assailants broke in, burned down the house, and killed him,” the pastor said.
The attackers didn’t stop there—they went on to burn three more houses and two motorbikes, inflicting further devastation on the community.
By the time police officers arrived at around 1:30 a.m., the situation was already dire. Authorities found the bodies of the deceased and several injured residents who required urgent medical care.
As of June 4, dozens of families who had fled the violence were sheltering at a local Baptist church in Rumuruti town, located approximately 15 kilometers from Matigari village.
Survivors, including Ekero’s grieving widow, have called on the national government and security agencies to take immediate action to secure the region and protect innocent families from further violence.
“We are calling on the government to intervene, restore peace, and ensure such a tragedy never happens again,” said one of the affected residents.
Community leaders, church organizations, and human rights advocates are also urging for swift investigations, increased security patrols, and conflict resolution measures to prevent more bloodshed in the troubled area.
The shocking loss of a respected tour guide and another community member has once again highlighted the urgent need for lasting peace and effective conflict management in Laikipia, where ethnic and resource-based violence has claimed many lives in recent years.
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