Eight killed in renewed clashes in Tana River

Police officer calms down a group of youth who were protesting after 8 people killed in renewed tribal clashes. [Courtesy]

A major security operation is underway in Tana River County following the killing of eight people between Friday and yesterday in renewed conflict between two tribes.

Tana River County Commissioner David Kosgei said Kenya Defence Forces and specialized units from the Administration Police have been deployed to pacify the area.

Yesterday, tension remained high in parts of the county following the killing that has taken the death toll in the troubled parts of Tana River County to 12 in the last two weeks.

In the recent cases, five people, including a 60-year-old woman and two aged men, were shot dead and livestock of unknown value was stolen at KBC Cluster village in Bangale sub-county, said Kosgei.

The County Commissioner confirmed that two others were killed by arrows at Nanighi and Bura villages in Tana North sub-county, and 10 manyattas hosting IDPs along the Garissa - Hola road were burnt.

Kosgei and the security team, who are currently in an operation to flush out illegal guns, said the situation is calm as security forces from RDU and GSU personnel have been deployed.

“As of yesterday, we have lost nine people and we hope that the situation will be back to normal,” said Kosgei, adding that some attackers are using guns and arrows.

Two other casualties were gunned down at Hola Garissa junction last night and their bodies moved to the Garissa General Hospital mortuary. This took the death toll since Friday to 9.

Tana North police commandant Ephraim Karani said police were yet to establish the motive of the attacks. Kosgei said it was sparked by the conflict over water resources.

Local leaders claim the conflict started when flood victims, mainly farmers, were moved from the banks of River Tana and settled along the Garissa-Hola road through clusters by the county government. 

The pastoralists, who traditionally lived with their animals, had to reject plans to resettle farmers in the area by the county government, terming the move as a planned grabbing of their land.

The pastoralists claim ownership of land designated for resettlement by the river to the farmers displaced by the floods after River Tana burst its banks during the recent long rains.

Yesterday, tension was high in Bura, Madogo, and around the river banks as hundreds of villagers desert their homes for fear of attacks. Several schools closed last month after teachers refused to return.

Earlier this week, Kosgei met with Governor Dhadho Godhana, three MPs, and the Council of Elders to defuse tension and enable communities to co-exist peacefully.

In a meeting held at the county commissioner’s office, the elders from both sides agreed to resolve the conflict henceforth and recommended that no further bloodshed occur.

Yesterday, Bura MP Yakub Adow said the renewed conflicts are because of resettling flood victims to areas set for grazing.

“The ongoing violence between the Wardei and Wailwana is because of the county government’s cluster programme. I will not speak much because of the current situation,” he said.

The affected villages are Nanighi, Tune, Darime, Matagala, and Subo, and parts of villages neighbouring Garissa county such as Ziwani and Mororo, whose houses have been submerged in water.