Armed thugs struck and killed two girls from same family in Kotut, Endo ward of Marakwet East Constituency.
This is despite warnings from the government it will end the trend in the area.
About 70 head of cattle were also stolen in the New Year 10am incident.
They were reportedly driven towards Tiaty constituency, police said citing locals.
The deceased girls are students at Kobulwo Secondary School (Form 3) and Kabetwa Primary (class 7).
The raid comes barely a day after Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Wisley Rotich and security agencies in the area launched drones to help them in addressing the menace.
On Sunday, Rotich called on security agencies to address the insecurity in the area and arrest those behind it.
“While I share my condolences to the families affected, I call upon all security organs to ensure perpetrators are brought to book and all stolen livestock recovered,” say Governor Rotich in a statement.
The killings also took place as area leaders including the Governor and Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen congregated at Kapsait for annual peace prayers between Pokot and Marakwet communities.
Rotich said they congregated at Kapsait today for annual peace prayers between Pokot and Marakwet Communities that’s on 1st January every year.
“It’s sad and disheartening that as we prayed for long lasting peace among our communities we lost the lives of two innocent girls at Ketut, Endo Ward.”
The killings have also sparked fresh animosity among the two communities.
Tension remains high there as security agencies gathered to pursue the attackers.
President William Ruto and Interior Cabinet Secretary Prof Kithure Kindiki have in the past issued a stern warning to bandits in the area.
They vowed to crush the practice and termed it criminal.
Kindiki likened cattle rustling to crimes against humanity hence the need for more decisive action.
“Banditry has assumed not just an economic dimension but it continues to take new dimensions and increasingly it is appearing that what is happening in the Northern part of this country would very easily constitute crimes against humanity,” he said.
To address this, Kindiki said that the government is deploying a multi-faceted and multi-agency response.
He further stated that the government will pursue financiers and beneficiaries of the cattle rustling menace which has led to deaths and mass displacement of hundreds of citizens.
“We are coming to dismantle not only the criminals themselves but also to bring down the entire chain that has been the cattle and livestock rustling industry,” he added.
“We are rolling out an unprecedented response against criminals and we are going to go to their hideouts, we will look for the criminals and do to them what the law says we do to criminals in accordance with the law of our country and all other applicable international laws.”
Kindiki said the government will conduct a sustained security response to get rid of the criminals in the country.
