A cloud of grief hangs over Makunga village in Trans Nzoia County after a Form Three student, identified as Musa Cheptot, was fatally shot during a violent clash between locals and Kenya Forest Service (KFS) officers.
According to residents, the 17-year-old was among a group of villagers working on a disputed piece of land when KFS rangers attempted to evict them. A bullet struck Cheptot in the head, cutting short his life and leaving the community in mourning.
“I sent my son to the farm. When he got there, the officers had already stormed in. That’s when they shot and killed him,” his distraught mother told reporters, struggling to hold back tears.
The tragic incident has intensified a decades-old land dispute involving a 600-acre parcel claimed by both the government and local residents. While the government insists the land is part of a gazetted forest reserve, residents argue they legally purchased the land and possess documentation to prove ownership.
“They came here, shooting at us and trying to force us out of land we bought lawfully. We’ve even shown them our title deeds,” said one resident.
Community members are now demanding swift action, calling on the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) to investigate the shooting and hold the officer responsible accountable.
“I want IPOA to step in. The officer who shot that boy must face the law,” said another villager.
In a statement released Monday, the Kenya Forest Service confirmed the incident but maintained that their officers were conducting lawful evictions of individuals accused of illegally encroaching on forest land. They claimed the rangers were met with hostility and attacked with crude weapons, during which a stray bullet fatally injured one person.
“The unfortunate incident occurred at Makunga Forest block of Saboti Forest Station… Forest Rangers were confronted by goons armed with crude weapons, and during the melee, one person was fatally injured by a suspected stray bullet,” read the statement.
KFS also dismissed claims that the shooting occurred on private farmland, asserting the contested area is protected forest land under their jurisdiction.
The agency said it is working closely with the National Police Service to investigate the matter and ensure justice is served.
As the investigation unfolds, tension remains high in the area, with residents vowing to continue fighting for what they say is their ancestral land and heritage.
To them, the land is more than a resource — it is their livelihood and identity. But now, with bloodshed staining the soil, they fear their fight for justice may be long and painful.
