By James Mbaka

The recent feud between two counties in Kisii over the control of a strategic town threatens a rosy relationship among neighbours.

Although elders from Kisii and Nyamira counties have sought to downplay the simmering row over the control of Keroka town, at the border of the two counties, there is no end in sight to the conflict.

Previous efforts by local leaders to iron out the boundary dispute have hit a snag amid infiltration by political interests.

But Kisii Culture and Development Council chairman Araka Matundura has broken his silence over the matter, warning any attempt by politicians to locate the town in unshared geographical region will boomerang in the long run.

He said it was in the best interest of the council that the revenue from the strategic town is proportionally shared between the two counties i to promote harmony and unity.

“We have held meetings with the two governors and we have made deliberations that the town should be managed by a joint committee and revenue shared according to population proportion,” Matundura told The Standard on Sunday.

“It is only selfish that we want to tear the community right in the middle. We want an assessment done and all resources and assets shared equally so that our people can remain united through common shared resources,” added Matundura.

These statements come in the wake of heightened political spats between leaders from the Kisii and Nyamira counties over the location of the town that would easily be turned into a 24-hour economic hub given its strategic location and population.

Business hub

 It is estimated that the town has a population of about 4,000 people. Currently, Keroka town is a business hub with daily open air markets that rake in thousands of shillings from tax collections.

An initial meeting between Kisii Governor James Ongwae and his Nyamira counterpart John Nyagarama at the latter’s offices sought to make a quick and urgent intervention to cool tempers.

The lengthy meeting reviewed the economic and social political issues surrounding Keroka town and the possible most agreeable way to forge a working relationship beneficial to both parties by forming a joint management committee.

“The joint team will come up with rules and guidelines on how the town and market will be administered, especially how revenue will be managed. Executive committee members in-charge of finance, environment and physical planning have been included in the joint board,” said Ongwae after the meeting.

 The meeting between the two top officials also resolved to review the jurisdiction of two other revenue generating markets of Ting’a and Bomburi which fall at the boundary of the two counties. During the meeting it also emerged that the defunct Keroka town council had a debt to a tune of Sh50 million which two governors agreed to jointly service.

However, the events that have continued to dog the discussions and decisions made now threaten the mutual working relationship and good neighbourhood. This follows political declarations by leaders from across the two counties affirming hardline positions as to the location of the town after the Transitional Authority classified the town as located in Kisii County. The move elicited sharp reactions from local political leaders in Nyamira County who insisted they will resist any attempt by the authority to relocate the town to Kisii County.

Political adversaries

Kitutu Masaba MP Timothy Bosire fired the first salvo at TA and said Keroka town was 99 per cent in Nyamira County and accused his political adversaries of precipitating the issue so as to gain political mileage. “My political enemies want to create Migingo-like controversy over this matter so that I am seen as if I am unable to protect boundaries of Kitutu Masaba,” Mr Bosire said. The MP insisted that the historical geographical boundaries showed that Keroka town was in Nyamira County by virtue of being in Kitutu Masaba constituency.

Already Kenya Social Congress chairman Kengere Mose has indicated that his party would partner with human rights activists to stage demonstrations to express their dissatisfaction with the move by TA to relocate the town.

“My party founder George Anyona Moseti will turn in his grave if Keroka town is relocated to Kisii County. We will not allow this to happen since the town is 99 per cent in our Kitutu Masaba constituency which is by extension in Nyamira County,” Mose said.

He wondered why Kisii administrators wanted to take control of trading centres in Nyamira that are located near their border yet other neighbouring counties have not laid any similar claims.

Nyagarama recently moved to quell disquiet among residents over claims that Kisii County will take over the management of Keroka town.