Turkana: Police Officers Corner, Arrest KDF Soldiers Over Assault Of Traffic Cop

• An unforeseen acrimony between the police and members of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) played out publicly in Lodwar on Wednesday, April 17
• A group of cops were manning a roadblock when the soldiers arrived while on a water truck, demanding the officers remove the roadblock
• The cops' delay irked the KDF army men, who descended on one of the police officers with a slap before seizing his firearm, prompting a reaction from Lodwar Police Station

Kai Eli, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Drama ensued in Lodwar on Wednesday, April 17, pitting the members of the National Police Service against the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) soldiers.

It all started when an officer attached to the Lodwar Police Station faced it rough at the hands of a group of KDF army men.

Police Corporal Cleophas Makhapila was manning a roadblock with his three colleagues when he encountered the soldiers aboard a water truck.

What happened between KDF, police in Turkana?

According to a statement spotted by TUKO.co.ke, the officers delayed clearing the way for the truck.

Angered by the cops', the driver of the water bowser alighted and slapped Makhapila on his right cheek.

The rowdy soldier was joined by his colleague from the truck, who grabbed the aggrieved officer's AK-47 firearm.

While threatening the officer, the soldiers referenced their supposed triumph over the al Shabaab militants.

They said:

"Sisi tumeua al Shabaab wengi, naweza kumaliza wewe sahi (we have killed many al Shabaab militants, we can finish you now)."

Police officer's firearm seized by KDF officers

As if the hot slap was not enough, the soldiers ordered Makhapila to go on his knees, but he refused to comply this time.

The soldiers would then fire in the air with five rounds, perhaps to scare the law enforcers.

They later left with the battered officer's firearm, asking him to pick it up at their Loturerei Camp.

Makhapila contacted his seniors, who mobilised other officers across the sub-county to be on the lookout for the water mover.

The truck was spotted in Lodwar Town, where the officers alerted on the previous happenings trailed it to its destination.

The police caught up with the truck and found its driver still in the compartment, with three other soldiers seated under a shed.

They were immediately ordered to surrender, but that they would not do at first until the police officers shot in the air.

The driver alighted, leaving his firearm in the truck.

Drama at Lodwar Police Station

They requested to drive the water bowser to the Lodwar Police Station, but they declined.

The cops later forced the soldiers into their van en route to the station; the police left with two AK47 riffles they recovered from the soldiers.

Later, a section of KDF officers arrived on board a land cruiser and cordoned off the station, ready to salvage their colleagues, the dramatic scenes attracting the attention of the members of the public.

It took the intervention of Turkan Central Sub-County police commander Samwel Boit, who engaged the soldiers' bosses and calmed them down.

The soldiers were, after all, booked into custody ahead of the arrangement to face robbery with violence charges.

KDF soldiers arrested in Bomet

The scuffle came months after two KDF army men were arrested by police officers.

They had allegedly detonated two grenades at the Chebole Trading Centre in Sotik sub-county.

The duo was revelling at the Daima Bar and Restaurant within Chebole when they got intoxicated on drinks.

They were found in possession of four grenades, two grenade pins, and other personal effects.

The soldiers were taken to the Mutarakwa Police Post, where an inventory was done and placed in custody.

No injuries were reported from the explosions.

Proofreading by Asher Omondi, current affairs journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.