Two killed, including policeman, and rifles stolen during stand-off at gold mine in Moyale

Confirming the incident, Marsabit County Commissioner James Kamau said the two who died are a police officer and a middle-aged man.

According to a police report, a group of about 3,000 people breached security and forcibly gained entry into the site, overpowering the police.

Soon after, an altercation ensued and people started pelting the officers with stones before they were repulsed.

In a second attempt, the locals regrouped armed with assorted crude weapons and attacked the police officers before invading the site again.

“At some point, the attackers fired at the police and the officers responded but they were overpowered because the police were being attacked from all corners’’ read the report in part.

The report added, ‘’ In the process, several officers sustained various body injuries’’

The attackers also stole two G3 rifles with 40 rounds of live ammunition belonging to the deceased officer and his seriously injured colleague.

DCI officers from Moyale visited the scene for analysis and documentation.

The two bodies were moved to Moyale sub-county hospital awaiting postmortem.

The incident brings the total number of casualties at Dabel Gold site to 23.

In March this year, then Interior Cabinet secretary Prof. Kithure Kindiki ordered the closure of the Dabel Artisanal Mining sites citing security concerns.

In a Kenya Gazette notice, the government declared the area disturbed and dangerous, issuing vacation orders.

Since then, despite the vacation orders; the area has been ‘’close and operational’’ with numerous cases of allegations of police officers operating an illegal gold business, allegations denied by the security agencies.

Last week, while speaking in Moyale, Marsabit Governor Mohamud Ali admitted to ‘’having a hand’’ in the transfer of the county commissioner and the county police commandant following numerous complaints from the locals.

Currently, the government is working on a plan to register locals in different co-operatives societies for proper management of the site and smooth operation.

“We call upon the locals to register as fast as possible, give us time, and cooperate as we work on finalizing plans to re-open the site’’ said Moyale DCC Benedict Munyoki.