Deputy President William Ruto shares a light moment with Kwale County Governor Salim Muvrya during a funds drive in aid of Kinagoni Secondary School, Kinango Constituency in Kwale on July 05, 2014. PHOTO |DPPS
By KALUME KAZUNGU, @KalumeSamuel skazungu@ke.nationmedia.com
Deputy President William Ruto on Sunday cancelled a planned visit to Mpeketoni to tour scenes of the latest attacks in Hindi in Lamu county and Gamba in Tana Delta.
Mr Ruto was scheduled to attend an inter-denomination prayer service at Lake Kenyatta Primary School in Mpeketoni.
On Saturday, Mr Ruto presided over two fundraisers in Kwale and Kilifi counties and appealed to Kenyans to focus on peace.
The death toll in the Hindi attacks have risen to 11.
The Nation crew of reporter Galgalo Bocha and photographer Kevin Ondit counted 11 bodies.
Eyewitnesses say the attackers were young men dressed in jungle-wear uniforms. They carried machetes and guns and spoke mainly in Somali language.
The victims, 10 men and one boy, were either hacked to death or shot dead by the attackers in Malamandi, in Hindi division of Lamu West.
Two people, a man and his son, were admitted at Lamu's King Fahd hospital with serious gun shot wounds.
Lamu governor Issa Timamy, who visited them at the hospital on Sunday morning, directed that they be transferred to the Kenyatta National Hospital for specialised treatment.
They who are still unconscious have been identified as 51-year old Stephen Kangethe and his son Daniel Kimani said to be in his early twenties.
According to the area's chief, a group of more than 10 armed gunmen raided and started shooting aimlessly at people.
Several houses in the town were also set on fire. Some bodies were burnt beyond recognition.
County Commissioner Miiri Njenga urged residents to remain calm as more security was sent to the area also confirmed about the raid and said that he sent AP and GSU Police officers to the scene.