Residents of Todonyang, Turkana County, have expressed frustration after a high-level government delegation visited the area following a deadly attack, but left without an effort to recover bodies of those killed and search for missing persons.

A team led by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, East African Community (EAC) Cabinet Secretary, Turkana Senator James Lomenen, the Regional Police Commander and the County Commissioner toured the region on Sunday. Families say they had hoped the visit would lead to action, but no official recovery operation has been initiated.

“We were hopeful when we saw the government delegation. We thought they had come up with a plan to help us recover the bodies and protect us, but they just left after giving usual promises,” said Esther Napeyok, whose husband is missing.

The February 22 attack, allegedly carried out by heavily armed Dassanech militiamen, targeted fishermen along Lake Turkana. Survivors say the attackers opened fire before fleeing across the border, leaving more than 30 people unaccounted for.

“My cousin was among those caught in the gunfire. Since that day, we have not seen him. We don’t know if he is dead or alive,” said Ekitela Lomoe, a fisherman.

Local leaders have criticised the government’s response, calling for immediate intervention. “The reactionary conduct of government officials in this incident is utterly cavalier,” said Ekusi Lore, a local leader.

He added: “The failure to involve military experts for recovery of over 30 bodies in the massive water body is also demonstrative of the unserious government attitude toward the unjustified killing of Turkana fishermen.”

Lore also questioned the security response. “The Regional Commander only controls officers who don’t have the skills to recover bodies in deep waters. That should have been the work of the Kenya Navy or the army. We need to know if those missing are alive or dead. If they are dead, where are their bodies?” he asked.

Residents are now calling for an urgent search operation and reinforced security to prevent further attacks.

Survivors of the massacre described their harrowing experience at the hands of the bloodthirsty Ethiopian militia that killed at least 20 people in Todonyang.

The scale of the Saturday lunchtime carnage has left the community reeling. Grief-stricken families continue to search for missing loved ones.

Kenya’s security agencies are yet to give a coherent explanation of how the militia from a neighbouring country crossed into Kenya to kill and maim on such a huge scale.

Questions over laxity or incompetence of Kenya’s intelligence emerged yesterday after survivors said tensions between Kenya’s Turkana and Ethiopia’s Dassanach started to build up earlier overfishing disputes. 

The violence erupted following a fishing dispute between the Turkana and Dassanach communities that led to the killing of three Dassanach fishermen.

In retaliation, the Dassanach militia regrouped and surrounded the villages of Lotiira and Lopeimukat, launching a coordinated attack.

“People were running everywhere. Some jumped into the lake, thinking they would be safe, but many never resurfaced,” said James Ekitela, a fisherman who lost his cousin.

Memories Emoria and Peter Eregae, who lived through the nightmare, now recount their harrowing escape.

For Emoria, survival came by sheer luck and the kindness of one man. He said he was with others in Natira village when the trouble started.

“We were just relaxing when a Dassanech man suddenly came running with shocking news—three of their people had been killed. In minutes, the entire mood in the village changed. We were surrounded, pushed together, and beaten. The anger in their eyes told us we were not going to survive,” he recalled.

But just as their fate seemed sealed, an elderly Dassanech man, identified as Lokoumoit, stepped in.

“He told them, ‘Even if our people were killed, it was not here. You cannot harm innocent people.’ He argued with them until they finally backed off. Then he took us into his house and locked us inside,” Emoria said.

As they hid, the attackers turned their focus elsewhere.

“They rushed to the lake, took a boat, and found Turkana fishermen. Without warning, they opened fire, killing many. Some tried to escape by jumping into the lake, but most never resurfaced. Then they moved to Lopeimukat village and continued the killings,” he narrated.

Later, Lokoumoit returned and guided Emoria and more than 20 other Turkana men to safety near the Kenya police post.

“If not for him, we would have all died. It was a miracle,” he said.

Eregae, who was among the fishermen at the lake, said he had just finished setting his fishing nets when he heard the first gunshot.

“At first, we thought it was just a normal gunshot from a hunter, but then we saw a boat approaching fast. Before we could react, bullets started flying in every direction. There was no time to think. Everyone ran,” he said.

Eregae tried to escape but was caught in the chaos.

“People were jumping into the lake, but the gunmen kept shooting. They weren’t just killing—they wanted to wipe us out. I dived into the water and swam under the surface as long as I could. I only came up for air when I was far enough,” he recalled.

By the time the shooting stopped, the lake was littered with bodies. He said he lost two friends and a relative.

“I lost friends. I lost my family. We were just fishermen trying to earn a living, but we were hunted like animals,” he said, his voice filled with grief.

Eregae managed to make it back to shore and hid until he was rescued hours later. Now, like many other survivors, he remains in hiding, afraid that the attackers will return.

“We don’t feel safe. We don’t know when they will strike again. We need security before more lives are lost,” he pleaded.

Interior CS Kipchumba Murkomen, who on Monday visited the area said the exact number of casualties remains uncertain.

Yesterday the Ethiopian administration in a closed-door meeting chaired by the two interstate organs from Kenya and Ethiopia in Todonyang admitted that their people committed atrocities against Kenyan fishermen.

The Ethiopian administration vowed to work with Kenyan security to find the missing persons. 

In 2011, a similar attack in Todonyang claimed 43 lives, yet years later, the killings persisted.