At 24, Damaris Kisio was a Gen Z mother trying all she could to provide for her three children as she figured out the life that lay before her.
She was one of the seven people killed on April 25 when bandits opened fire at Kwa Kamare in Tseikuru, Mwingi, Kitui County. Damaris was helping her mother run some chores when all hell broke loose.
Besides Damaris, there was Kilonzi Kauni, Mulandi Kauni, Nicholas Syengo, Gregory Syengo Mwangangi, Titus Munywoki and Mutua Kituu.
On Saturday, during a sorrowful joint burial for the seven, Damaris’ story in a combined eulogy was brief, just like her life on earth.
Family, friends, and relatives gather beside coffins bearing the remains of seven victims of the Kwa Kamari bandit attack during a joint burial service at Tseikuru Primary School in Kitui County on May 2, 2026.
Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation Media Group
“She met her death when unknown militia shot her dead. Her third-born child, who is two years old, was stabbed on the thighs and is currently recuperating in hospital,” it read.
It wasn’t different for the six others, as their lives were crystallised into just a few sentences each. Their families took no more than a minute to read each of their eulogies, offering an unexpected metaphor of the suddenness of their demise.
Kilonzi and Mulandi were uncles of Reverend Joshua Mwangangi, who spoke with journalists at the function. The two had moved from the area six years ago, and Rev Mwangangi said they met their deaths while tilling land belonging to one of their nephews.
“We all used to live here before they moved away since the area has huge tracts of land. There were several people on the land when they heard the gunshots. Some were able to run away but my uncles and another person were killed by the militia,” said Rev Mwangangi.
He explained that another person and his cousin suffered bullet wounds to the leg, adding that the cousin was recently discharged from Mwingi Hospital.
According to Rev Mwangangi, the cousin explained that their laxity in escaping when they first heard the gunshots cost the two their lives.
He explained that they heard gunshots and stopped tilling the land, deciding to hide in nearby bushes to have something to eat before leaving for Tseikuru, which was much safer.
“The two uncles could not run since they were outnumbered and gunned down together with another person. My cousin however had to run and a bullet caught his leg while trying to jump over a fence,” said Mr Mwangangi.
He explained that although he was in pain, he struggled and managed to lose the bandits in the bushes before later calling out to some guards who helped him and, on their way, met police officers who were directed to the scene of the crime.
Family, friends, and relatives gather beside coffins bearing the remains of seven victims of the Kwa Kamari bandit attack during a joint burial service at Tseikuru Primary School in Kitui County on May 2, 2026.
Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation Media Group
Rev Mwangangi said the loss had affected them greatly and that the government ought to help them deal with the tragedy that had left families at crossroads.
“The cousin who was shot may no longer work as he used to earlier. We need the government to work on compensating them. Also, there is still a lot of food in the area that needs to be harvested but due to security issues, it cannot be harvested. Let the government provide security there for people to harvest,” said Rev Mwangangi.
The local leadership, led by the governor, had set up a committee to plan the funerals of the seven victims whose families had been stranded and unsure of where to begin.
However, the burial turned into a platform for local politicians to lash out at the government and police for not making any arrests since the incident took place.
Perpetrators of heinous act
Some leaders also responded to statements made by Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale regarding his acknowledgement of owning some camels and their right to graze in any part of the country.
“The Health CS is saying he has the right to graze his camels anywhere,” said Kitui Woman Representative Irene Kasalu as she questioned whose rights between humans’ and animals’ should come first.
“We want peace but it must come with justice,” said Ms Kasalu.
Kitui Governor Julius Malombe said that the hearts of people in the community would only heal if the perpetrators are arrested.
He added that there was a need to have all camel herders registered so as to make it easier to identify criminals.
Kitui County Governor Julius Malombe speaks during the joint burial service of the seven victims of the Kwa Kamari bandit attack during a mass burial service at Tseikuru Primary School in Kitui County on May 2, 2026.
Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation Media Group
“Nobody is allowed to get into the game reserve. We, therefore, need to register all the herders and their workers and this will make it easy to pinpoint the wrongdoers in such scenarios. The perpetrators of this heinous act must be arrested and brought to book,” said Dr Malombe.
Kitui Deputy County Commissioner Ann Mwangi, however, said they had received intelligence reports about the planned attacks.
“It is not time to ignore intelligence. We even had information that the ‘Wasomali’ would be coming. But we did not know when,” said Ms Mwangi.
She explained that security officers had pitched camp at Kwa Kamare to ensure the perpetrators are arrested and residents can continue living in peace.
“We know people are scared and they have shared information that has caused fear. Like yesterday, someone saw a Probox and assumed it belonged to militia. But we debunked it,” said Ms Mwangi.
She explained, however, that the area was struggling with network issues that had made it difficult for police officers to communicate.
“We are ready to protect you. A police station is there and officers have currently been deployed there. I am recruiting 30 national police reservists to help us fight banditry. But please let us not agitate our neighbours,” said Ms Mwangi.
Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka, who addressed the gathering via a phone call, requested residents to tolerate their neighbours as they need one another.
