Four teenagers allegedly shot dead by KWS officers in Nakuru

Four families in Nakuru County are now demanding answers after their loved ones were shot dead by the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) for allegedly fishing in Lake Nakuru.

Sammy Njenga, Obedi Luka, Alvin Williams and Barack Obama reportedly treated gunshot wounds following their encounter with police on Sunday.

They are currently admitted to Nakuru County Level 6 Hospital awaiting surgery to remove the bullets.

Their distraught mothers could not hide their pain as they demanded answers as to why their children were attacked when they were not fishing, just sightseeing.

“My son was sitting on the rocks outside. When he saw the police shooting, he jumped up and ran towards me. When he got to the door, he was shot,” said Beatrice Achieng, mother of 15-year-old Barack Obama.

Lilian Wanga, mother of 17-year-old Obedi Luka, remembers coming across four young men lying on the ground.

“I heard gunshots and I hid. When everything was calm, I came out of my hiding place and found four lying on the ground. My son was shot in the leg,” she recalls.

Luka was shot in the left thigh. His mother said the officers drove around the area in three cruisers while firing live ammunition. Bullet holes were visible on their gate.

Sammy Njenga's mother, Faith Wambui, defended him saying he couldn't fish because he didn't even have the proper attire or tools for it.

“They weren’t fishing. My son wore shorts and a t-shirt, just like visiting friends. They were taken away from there,” Wambui was quoted as saying.

Speaking from the hospital, Alvin Williams shared a similar experience of how he was arrested.

“It was evening and I decided to go see how far the lake had risen. Around 4 p.m., I met my friend Dickie, who had been shot by the police. When it started to rain, I went to a neighbor's house for shelter. Suddenly the police started shooting,” he said.

Area MP Samuel Arama expressed disappointment that KWS officers fired live ammunition instead of arresting the teenagers and charging them.

“It is surprising that these KWS agents behave like this. The law states that if someone commits a crime, they must be arrested and taken to the nearest police station,” he added.

Investigations into the bizarre incident have begun as tension remains high in the region.