Calm returns after tribal clashes in Tana River

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

Uneasy calm has been restored in several villages in Tana River County that had been hit by conflict following renewed interclan clashes that claimed 12 lives.

Security forces deployed in the region since Saturday have managed to restore calm despite tension in several villages.

Bangale sub-county police commandant, Mr Ephraim Karani said that the presence of various security organs have bone fruits to the brutal attacks experienced since Friday between farmers and pastoralists.

"We have beefed up security after deploying Kebya Defence Forces (KDF), paramilitary general service unity (GSU), Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU) and administration police in those areas and no incident have been reported since yesterday as patrol s continue," he told The Standard on phone.

He clarified that so far no arrests have been made but assured the aggrieved families that justice will be served once investigation was complete.

Already bodies of those killed are currently being buried in Madogo in a peaceful manner, he said.

"Currently, there is a burial at Vango in Madogo and security has been beefed up all around," he added.

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The skirmishes between Wardei and Wailwana communities started two weeks ago at KBC cluster village in Madogo after armed assailants invaded the village occupied by flood victims killing three people.

But the conflict escalated to Nanighi and other villages around Bura where the attackers from both sides have been seen using firearms, bows and arrows with security officers struggling to contain them.

The first incident was ignited by squabbles at a watering point in Anole between two communities which led to the shooting of Mr Said Maliyu, 75, and Juma Mohammed aged 35.

The skirmishes further escalated to the KBC area where the flood victims had settled recently and a village elder Mr Daud Shora, 58, was shot four times and died on the spot.

Mr Karani yesterday stated that tensions escalated on Friday as the two communities clashed over the land dispute.

“We responded swiftly and deployed adequate security officers to restore calm,” he said.

Karani added that the situation could have been worse without the urgent intervention of security personnel in the Anole area, where schoolchildren and teachers, who were targeted for a retaliatory attack by one of the warring communities, were rescued.

The police officer said police already have the names of individuals possessing illegal firearms adding that it was a matter of time before they are arrested.

However leaders including Tana River senator Mr Danson Mungatana condemned the frequent attacks in the region demanding police to speed up investigation of those in possession of illegal arms.

"Why is that communities are using illegal guns and yet the police are yet to apprehend anybody?," he asked.

Residents including local human defenders raised suspicion that they are community in the area secretly possessing guns and yet nobody talks about it.

Human rights activist Mr Mohamed Dado demanded the police to arrest individuals possessing illegal firearms in their homes or else they will name them.

They also accused some politicians of being behind the violence.

Bura MP Mr Yakub Adow blames the transferring the flood victims without public knowledge was the main cause of violence.

The MP revealed that the cluster program initiated by county government has an ill motives.

Tension remains high in Nanighi, Darime, Anole,Ziwani and Bakuyu villages despite villagers including women and children flee their homes for fear of invasion by pastoralists from neighboring Garissa county.

At least 10 primary schools have been closed along the river tana in Bura with teachers remain at their homes because of lack of pupils.