Tana: Families flee homes amid fears of fresh clashes

By PAUL GITAU

Scores of families in Tana River County’s Tana Delta District are fleeing their homes following fears of renewed tribal clashes and the sudden withdrawal of paramilitary forces deployed there in 2012 to restore peace.

Several villages belonging to the warring Pokomo and Orma communities have been deserted a few days after the withdrawal of General Service Unit (GSU) officers.

The Standard on Saturday has learnt that the exodus began on Monday when the last GSU forces left their camps yesterday amid reports that the tribes were rearming for warfare, following recent killing of three people, including a pastoralist and farmer.

Kenya Red Cross Coordinator Hassan Musa who has been charge of reconstruction of houses damaged in the 2012/2013 violence told The Standard on Saturday that in Kilelengwani area of Tana Delta, only 20 out of 138 villages remain inhabited.

According to the KRC official, only men remain in the villages still occupied in Kilelengwani, which witnessed some of the most gruesome violence in the past.

Tension was high after leaflets were discovered warning the Orma community against setting foot in Wema Division, which is predominantly occupied by the Pokomo. The origin and authors of the leaflets are not known.

Yesterday, Tana Delta County Commissioner Mike Kimoko confirmed leaflets were recovered in parts of the delta. He was addressing residents at Garsen High School.

“It is true that we recovered some leaflets in Hewani area directing members of the Orma community against stepping into the entire Wema division and their children should not attend school in the area,” he said, adding that police were investigating the matter.

Kimoko said there was a mass exodus in the delta at Kilelengwani village where 38 people from the Orma group, including nine police officers, were butchered late 2012.

He said the Pokomo from Semikaro area were also fleeing their homes, adding that the state of siege in the area worsened following the withdrawal of GSU officers and the distribution of the hate leaflets.

“Since the killing of three people last week in what is believed to be renewed tribal animosity, the security situation in the Delta has been fragile and explosive,” noted Kimoko.

Those who fled from Kilelengwani have moved to Onido village while those running away from Semikaro area have sought refuge in neighbouring Malindi and Lamu districts.

Garsen MP Ibrahim Sane who addressed the same meeting yesterday has criticised the move to withdraw GSU without consulting leaders at a time tension is still high in the area.

He also confirmed reports of an exodus. “The Cabinet Secretary for security and his team acted irresponsibly and we want the officers back so that normalcy can be restored,” he said.

On Thursday, Tana Delta district security committee protested the withdrawal of the GSU.

The team said it ought to have been consulted before the officers were pulled out.

Hundreds of GSU officers deployed in the area were withdrawn late last week through to Monday.

During the last war between the two tribes, close to 200 people died and over 1,000 houses set on fire. Thousands were left homeless.

The officers had been deployed to man Semikaro, Ozi, Kilelengwani and Chamwanamuma villages.