Clashes flare up in Narok as Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery visits

Armed youth looks on as a chopper carrying top security officers lands at Olposimuru in Narok North on Sunday. Over 250 houses have been burnt in a spate of violence between two ethnic communities. [PHOTO: BONIFACE THUKU/STANDARD]

Narok, Kenya: Six more houses were Sunday burnt down in Olpusimoru, Narok County, even as Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery and Inspector General Joseph Boinnet visited the area to resolve the crisis, which has left over 5, 000 people displaced.

Nkaissery led top Government officials to the troubled Olpusimoru, which has been rocked by tribal clashes between the Maasai and Kalenjin communities.

Tension gripped the area for a third day as Nkaissery and senior Government officials held separate meetings with locals leaders from the two communities in an effort to end the deadly clashes, which have seen over 250 houses torched and over 5, 000 people displaced.

The clashes came following an incident on Wednesday night where two herdsmen in Sierra Leone, Narok South were shot dead by unknown people and nine head of cattle stolen.

The injured have been taken to Tenwek Mission Hospital and Kericho District Hospital for treatment.

Youths from both communities continued to fight yesterday morning and three people had been injured by midday. One person was also killed on Saturday night.

And during the meeting yesterday, the two rival groups confronted each other at one point in front of the CS and top police officers, paralysing the meeting for about 10 minutes. This created confusion on how to control the situation.

Some police commanders were of the view that police officers should be sent to separate the two groups but Nkaissery and his Energy counterpart Charles Keter ordered police to use choppers to stop the confrontation. Police were forced to use four choppers to disperse the warring men and end the confrontation, which had threatened to get out of hand.

The Kipsigis claimed warriors from the Maasai community had blocked some of people from attending the meeting. They claimed women and children had been blocked by the warriors.

Youths from the Kalenjin side were covered with mud and armed with poisoned arrows while those from the Maasai community adorned red shukas.

When the meeting resumed, local politicians were given an opportunity to calm the high emotions that characterised the meeting.

Mr Keter urged members of the Kipsigis community not to retaliate but instead allow the police to protect them and their property.

However, Nkaissery warned the residents from both sides that those who would be found armed from yesterday or engaging fighting would be arrested.

“I have been informed by Boinnet that police have narrowed down to the killers and they will be arrested very soon. No further groupings should be found here. I want everyone to go back to their homes before I leave this place. You have paid taxes to the Government so that police officers can provide security. It is the responsibility of the Government to guarantee security to everyone and their property,” Nkaissery said.

While commenting on an earlier incident where four cows were shot in Mau Forest, Nkaissery said the incident was a criminal act by an individual and not a community.

“It is not the community that killed the cattle in Kass FM area in Narok South. It is an individual,” Nkaissery said.

He ordered the warriors from both communities to lay down their arms and disperse immediately and allow police to provide security.

He said a contingent of GSU officers would be deployed in the area by yesterday night, saying no person was allowed to take the law into his/her own hands but should instead let the Government do its work.

“Intelligence officers are very keen and from tomorrow (today), any leader who makes incitement statements through text messages to locals will be arrested and will face dire consequences,” said the CS.

 POLICE POSTS

“I am directing the area commander to ensure that construction of police posts begins in Olposimoru centre and Tegat from Monday,” Nkaissery ordered.

While addressing the first meeting with the Maasai community at Olpusimoru centre at around 2pm, Nkaissery said the residents should not take the country back to a situation like the one witnessed in 2008.

The CS, who flew in from Lamu County, where he had gone to address security issues, said peace must be restored in the area.
The CS ordered the police commanders to act accordingly after locals accused the officers deployed in the area of not responding promptly to rein in the youths, who had gone around torching houses.

Nkaissery was accompanied by Keter, Boinnet, deputy IG Joel Kitili and regional commissioner Osman Warfa, among other top security officials and police commanders from the region.

Local political leaders who attended the meetings were Governor Samuel Tunai, Senator Stephen Ntutu, Narok North MP Moitalel Ole Kenta, Emurua Dikirr MP Johanna Ngeno, Patrick Ntutu (Narok North), Korei Lemein (Narok South), nominated Senator Lisa Chelule and Nakuru Deputy Governor Joseph Ruto.

 “We want the Government to find those behind the killing of the two herds and shooting of the three cattle. But as the Government investigates, I am calling on both communities to maintain peace,” Ntutu said.

Keter, who said he had been sent by President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto, said the fighting should immediately stop and those displaced from their houses return to their homes.

He, however, took note of allegations of police laxity, telling Boinnet that police officers who don’t want to do their work should be immediately dealt with.

“Everyone should respect the Government as it is capable of protecting the lives and property of all the citizens,” Keter said.

He said the Government would provide medical aid, food and shelter for families displaced by the clashes. He reiterated that the Government would foot the burial expenses for those who lost their lives in the skirmishes.

Tunai urged the locals to live together in peace.

“We want to stand with the truth so that peace can prevail. Do not allow those from outside to come and disrupt the peaceful co-existence that has been experienced in this area for long,” Tunai said.

Ngeno urged locals not to allow hatred to divide them, saying his constituency witnessed the same where people suffered for no good reason.