Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja and the Director of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Mohamed Ibrahim Amin, were on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, forced to remain in a police chopper for over an hour after landing at Ang’ata Boys High School in Trans Mara, Narok County.
The security chiefs had gone to the area to address the escalating insecurity in the region following the deadly clashes that were witnessed on Monday, April 28, 2025, that left six people dead and a section of police officers injured.
Kanja and Amin remained in the chopper as a result of a hostile reception the residents had given security officers at the venue of the meeting.
Ngeno’s presence
Reports indicate that the General Service Unit (GSU) officers that had been deployed to the venue were chased by the locals, who demanded the presence of Emurua Dikirr Member of Parliament Johana Ngeno.
The police were forced to organise for another helicopter that flew the MP to the venue.
The security bosses, however, remained in their chopper even after the arrival of Ngeno, who joined other local leaders in the peace meeting that was also attended by former Bomet Governor Isaac Rutto and Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot.
They later managed to join the peace meeting that is currently underway.
Tension has also been reported in the area following the deadly clashes, with a section of the roads reportedly having been closed, making it hard for schools to reopen.
Anga’ta Barikoi clashes
The Monday, April 28, 2025, confrontation erupted after residents, claiming historical ownership of a disputed 6,800-acre parcel of land, blocked a major road to stop land officials from conducting a survey.
The standoff escalated into clashes with police, leading to multiple casualties on both sides.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, speaking on Monday night after arriving at Wilson Airport from a daylong tour of the North Rift, also condemned the killings and called for calm.
“This is a very sad occurrence for us in the national security team. Land issues can easily be resolved peacefully—it should not lead to any loss of life,” Murkomen said.
He disclosed that, according to preliminary reports, five civilians had died and five police officers were injured—one critically, after being struck by an arrow to the head.
County govt’s take
Meanwhile, the Narok County Government has pledged to meet all funeral expenses for the six people, including a seven-year-old child, who were killed in violent clashes.
In a statement posted on his X account on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, Narok Governor Patrick Ole Ntutu described the deaths as tragic and deeply regrettable, noting that the confrontation occurred amid efforts to resolve a longstanding land dispute between the Angata and Moyoi adjudication sections.
“It is deeply regrettable that longstanding land disputes have escalated to such a tragic outcome, particularly at a time when we were nearing the resolution of the conflict… a process I have personally supervised for the past one and a half years,” he stated.
Ntutu, who visited the affected area on Monday evening, further announced that the county would cover the medical expenses of all those injured in the incident.