Three men were found shot dead in Kibosit Forest, Chepchoina, Trans Nzoia County on June 21, in an incident that has sparked public outrage and strained relations between local communities and security agencies.
The victims Emmanuel Wanyonyi Wafula, 73, Samuel Barasa Wanyonyi, 22, and Nabende Mukulo, a Ugandan national were discovered with multiple gunshot wounds. According to police reports, the men appeared to have been executed at close range.
A fourth man, who survived the incident, said the group had been preparing charcoal in the forest when they were ambushed by eight armed men. The survivor managed to flee and raise the alarm in nearby villages.
Security officers from the police and Kenya Forest Service (KFS) responded swiftly to the scene, but were met with hostility from angry residents. Tensions escalated as villagers accused the officers of being complicit in the killings, forcing the security team to fire warning shots in the air to disperse the crowd and recover the bodies.
The situation turned chaotic when four officers were separated from the main team during the standoff but were later found unharmed.
The incident has reignited debate over the long-standing conflict between forest conservation efforts and the livelihoods of residents who rely on charcoal burning, despite it being illegal. Authorities have intensified crackdowns in recent months, targeting deforestation and illegal activities within protected forest areas.
However, residents say these crackdowns have sometimes led to excessive use of force and human rights abuses. Local leaders and human rights activists are now calling for an independent investigation into the killings, demanding justice and accountability.
“We cannot allow the protection of forests to come at the cost of human lives,” one local elder said.
As police launch investigations into the tragedy, tension remains high in Chepchoina. Fears of further protests persist, with community members calling for dialogue and better alternatives to forest-dependent livelihoods.
The incident underscores the urgent need for sustainable forest management policies that balance environmental protection with human welfare in Kenya’s forested regions.
