A survivor of the deadly Tseikuru attack has recounted the terrifying moments that unfolded when armed assailants descended on a quiet trading centre, turning an ordinary day into a scene of chaos, fear, and unimaginable loss.
The attack occurred in Kwa Kamari area of Tseikuru, Kitui County, where heavily armed gunmen stormed the settlement and opened fire on unarmed civilians.
According to reports, at least seven people were killed while several others sustained serious injuries in what authorities believe was part of retaliatory inter-community violence.
For one survivor, the day began like any other. Traders were attending to customers, boda boda operators lined the roadside, and residents moved about their routines. But within minutes, the calm was shattered by the sound of gunfire.
“I first heard loud bangs and thought it was something minor,” the survivor recalled. “Then people started screaming and running. That’s when I realized we were under attack.”
The attackers, reportedly numbering around 40, moved swiftly through the trading centre, firing indiscriminately and setting property ablaze.
Shops were torched, motorcycles burned, and homes destroyed as panic spread across the area.
Caught in the middle of the chaos, the survivor says instinct took over. With bullets flying and no clear escape route, he ran toward nearby bushes, hoping to find cover.
“I didn’t even think—I just ran,” he said. “You could hear gunshots everywhere. People were falling. I saw someone next to me get hit.”
As he fled, the survivor sustained a gunshot wound that left him injured but conscious. Despite the pain, he kept moving, driven by the will to stay alive.
“I knew if I stopped, I might not make it. I kept crawling until I reached a place where I could hide,” he recounted.
From his hiding place, he watched helplessly as the attackers continued their rampage. The ordeal, he said, felt like it lasted forever, even though it unfolded within a short period.
Eventually, the gunmen retreated, leaving behind a trail of destruction and grief. Survivors began emerging from hiding, many in shock, others searching for loved ones.
“I came out slowly. There was silence, but it was the kind that is worse than noise,” he said. “Bodies were lying around. People were crying. It’s something I will never forget.”
Emergency responders and security forces later arrived at the scene, evacuating the injured and restoring order.
The survivor was rushed to hospital, where he received treatment and is now recovering.
Authorities have linked the attack to ongoing tensions between communities over resources such as pasture and water, warning against further retaliatory violence.
In the aftermath, leaders and residents have called for increased security in the region, describing the attack as one of the deadliest incidents in the area in recent years.
For the survivor, the physical wounds may heal, but the emotional scars remain deep.
“I survived, but many didn’t,” he said. “Every time I close my eyes, I see what happened. I hear the gunshots again.”
He now hopes that his story will serve as a reminder of the urgent need for peace and security in the region, so that no other community has to endure such a tragedy.
As Tseikuru slowly recovers, the voices of survivors like him continue to echo—powerful testimonies of resilience in the face of terror, and a call for lasting solutions to prevent future bloodshed.
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