'Ghost town': Mwingi pupils desert school over heightened insecurity from banditry

Following last Friday's raid by armed herders at Kiseuni village of Mandongoi during which a boy's arm was shattered with a bullet, most residents and school-going children have fled the area fearing for their lives.

A visit by journalists to Mandongoi Primary School of Tuesday afternoon revealed a ghostly school that had been deserted by pupils and teachers.

The school gate was also locked and classrooms remained unoccupied.

The school headteacher, Joel  Maundu, said the insecurity problem has paralyzed learning.

"The school has been deserted and the same situation is happening in another four schools in the neighborhood," he said.

Maundu called on the government to restore security and reassure the residents of their safety so that residents could return home and allow their children to go back to school.

A member of the school board of management , Jeremiah Nyayo, said that children displaced by insecurity were exposed to social issues like immorality, teenage pregnancies and drug abuse.

Kitui County commissioner Kipchumba Rutto, who had led the county security team to the area to assess the situation after  locals were attacked by the armed herders, assured locals of security agencies efforts to restore security.

The County Commissioner said a security operation would be carried out to root out the armed herders.