At least two people were killed in Kuria East District during a fight involving two clans over cattle rustling incidents.

The men were speared to death during the clash between Wairege and Wanyabasi clans on the Kenya-Tanzania border.

One of the clans accused the other of being behind the frequent cattle raids in their villages.

Scores of people were said to have suffered arrow wounds and were still undergoing treatment in various medical facilities in the region.

Trouble makers

On Thursday, a contingent of regular and Administration police were dispatched to the trouble spots in Kegonga and Ntimaru divisions although tension remained high.

District commissioner Herman Mshambi asked the warring clans to give the Government a chance to deal with the trouble makers in the district.

Unconfirmed reports indicated that armed raiders from Tarime District in Tanzania were also involved in the cattle raids in the region.

And in Busia, a woman escaped death narrowly after she was shot by two armed men on the heel at her home.

Busia police boss Paul Kariuki said the woman had sent her child to a nearby shop at 7.30pm on Thursday, but on reaching the gate, the child spotted two men seated.

"The child rushed back and informed her mother that some people were sitting at the entrance of their gate," Mr Kariuki said.

When the woman went to inquire what the two were doing, the men exchanged words with her before one pulled out an AK47 rifle.

The woman fled as she raised the alarm but she was shot on the heel.

"The two people fled to an unknown destination and police have launched investigations in order to arrest the suspects," Mr Kariuki said.

The police boss said the husband of the woman, Mr Fabian Lubembe, was away when the incident occurred.

Elsewhere, a man believed to be a car thief died, while his accomplice is fighting for his life in hospital in Migori Township after they were set ablaze by an irate mob. The men were cornered on Thursday after they were caught trying to gain entry into the vehicle near the Migori bus terminus. The angry crowd descended on them with blows, before setting them on fire in the 1pm incident.

Police officers arrived at the scene and put out the fire. The two were then rushed to Migori District Hospital.

An assistant commissioner of police in charge of operations, Mr David Baya, said one of them died on arrival at the health facility.

The other man was admitted to the hospital in serious condition and is undergoing treatment.

Civil aviation

In another incident, a Zimbabwean working with the World Food Programme was shot dead at the Lokichoggio border town in Turkana North District. Lodwar central police deputy OCPD Mark Wanjala said the official, Mr Silence Shirara, was shot dead on Wednesday at 10pm by unknown gunmen as he drove home. He died at the gate to his house. The police said Mr Shirara, who is based in Lokichoggio, was with his girlfriend.

The UN official was on his way home from a civil aviation meeting at 748 Hotel at the Lokichoggio United Nations compound when the gunmen struck and sprayed his vehicle with bullets near his gate.

According to Mr Wanjala, Mr Shirara sped off towards the main house gate with both legs broken, and the guards, who heard the gunshot, opened the gate. His car then hit a stationary container, the police boss said. "It was not clear whether the deceased succumbed to the injuries from the gun shots or died as a result of his car ramming the container which was in the compound," the police chief said.

A team of detectives from Lodwar Central Police led by the deputy criminal investigations officer, Mr Aggrey Abwogi, have been dispatched to the ground to investigate the killing of the UN official.

Incidents of car ambushes by gunmen have become common in Lokichoggio Town in Turkana North which borders Sudan.