APs to man district border

• Officers to be deployed to avert ethnic feuding between Rongo and Trans Mara residents

More security personnel are to be sent the border of Rongo and Trans Mara districts to avert a looming ethnic confrontation.
Leaders  from the two districts, who met under the joint chairmanship of the Nyanza South regional commissioner, Mr Erastus Ekidor, and his Trans Mara counterpart, Mr Naftali Mungathia, resolved that Administration Police officers be deployed at designated centres along the border.

The meeting which was also attended by the two districts’ security committees also resolved that those holding illegal guns surrender them within three weeks. 

The leaders observed that since land was the main issue behind the rivalry, five elders each from the two districts would be identified to deal with future transactions. 

“The elders will sanction the sale or lease of land in the presence of local administrators who must insist on documentation,” Mr Ekidor said. 

The meeting on Wednesday was called following renewed clashes between the Maasai and Luo communities on Christmas Day in which two people were killed. 

Chief arrested

A chief from Trans Mara has been arrested over claims that he was behind the renewed clashes.

Public Service minister Dalmas Otieno, who is also the Rongo MP, said that leaders from the two communities regretted the flare up.

“The Maasai are our brothers, even in ODM, and we cannot allow a small land issue to mar our relationship,” he said.

In Tana Delta district, residents have up to January 20 to surrender illegally held firearms, otherwise, area district commissioner Elias Kithaura said that security personnel would be deployed to recover them.

The DC said that the influx of firearms from neighbouring districts and war-torn Somalia has contributed to insecurity and conflicts between farmers and pastoralists in the district. 

Mr Kithaura displayed more than 30 guns that were recovered from the Orma and Wardei pastoralist communities. 

In East Pokot, herders surrendered over 20 illegal firearms, 25 rounds of ammunition and one hand grenade as the government’s amnesty period for them to give up the guns nears an end.

Deputy commissioner of police Shariff Abdalla told local administrators at Loruk police line yesterday that the operation will be rolled out to Baringo and Marigat districts.

He urged herders to cooperate and surrender all firearms before the amnesty lapses on January 20.

East Pokot DC Amos Mariba said insecurity is a major threat to development in the area.