Two people dead in Marsabit clashes

By Ali Abdi

Two people have been killed in Marsabit County, one in Laisamis and the other in Saku as thousands of families fled the volatile border town of Moyale.

In Laisamis, raiders from North Horr invaded two villages in Laisamis and shot dead a 20-year-old school leaver at Arapal village, near Mount Kulal on Saturday.

Another middle aged man sustained serious gunshot wounds and was admitted at Marsabit Level Three Hospital where medics say he is out of danger.

The raiders from North Horr were also reported to have attacked a second village at Larachi where they burnt huts and damaged a water tank.

‘‘The herders from North Horr used guns with aim of kicking out the locals to occupy the land. The attack was purely an expansionist policy by our neighbours,’’ said David Timado, an TNA official  in Laisamis.

In the second incident, a 50-year-old man was gunned down by unknown assailants on Friday night at around 10 pm in Nagoyo location in Saku.

Yesterday, Marsabit County Commissioner Isaiah Nakoru who confirmed both incidents said the Laisamis case was related to resource and land usage while the one in Saku was as a result of domestic issue.

‘‘In the Laisamis incident, the Rendille and Turkana were attacked by the Gabra. Both sides are fighting over access to water and pastures,’’ said Mr.  Nakoru.

In the Saku incident, the nerve centre of Marsabit County politics, the Friday killing has been interpreted differently.

While the National government through Nakoru said investigation showed the deceased was trailed by men whom he had accused of stealing his wife, protagonist in the tribal conflict in the County alleged that the community who inhibit the area (the Borana) were behind it.

But Nakoru reminded them that when the Borana were accused of killing two people at Hula-Hula two years ago, the people arrested, prosecuted and convicted for crime came all the way from Kalacha, in North Horr.

‘‘People should leave investigation of crime to the experts. It does not mean if a person is killed, we go for the owner of the house where the crime scene occurred,’’ observed the administrator.

An angry Saku MP Colonel (retired) Ali Rasso said police should be given adequate time to probe the issue but regretted that politicians behind the violence in Moyale are capitalizing on it to create rift among the locals.

‘‘The killers of the man were amateurish and left behind many trails. The police and the provincial administration should do their work and arrest the perpetrators. For those who want to capitalize on this to create disharmony, they are day dreaming,’’ said the legislator.

In Moyale, thousands of families, mostly women, children and the elderly have fled the border town, following alleged rumours of impending clash between the Borana on one side and the Gabra, Burji and Garre on the other.

Nakoru confirmed the exodus but faulted it on the rumours that after the Form Four and Standard Eight national examinations, there would be an attack in the area.

‘‘We have heard of the rumours but some people believed it and fled. The national government has put in place adequate security measures to deter any attack,’’ he assured.

Rasso said the families fled to Ethiopia while many others are in Isiolo and Nairobi.

The MP, who claimed there are militiamen in Moyale out to cause chaos, called on the government to take immediate action and rein in the instigators.