30 Marine police deployed to Lake Turkana

The Government has deployed 30 police officers from the Marine Unit to Lake Turkana following attacks by suspected Merille militia from neighbouring Ethiopia.
Three additional police motor boasts have been dispatched to facilitate the Marine Unit patrol Lake Turkana to cool tension between pastoralists and fish mongers from the two countries.

At least 10 people have been killed in the last one month and the move is aimed at calming tension caused by cattle raids, fight for pasture pasture and fishing waters.
“The Marine Unit will be stationed and Lowaren’gak to protect Kenyan borders against any form of aggression,” Abdi Mohammud, Turkana North Sub-County Commissioner said in a telephone interview Monday.
Six Turkana fishermen were last month killed by suspected Merille militia who made away with six boats and fishing gears.

The attack has strained relationship between fishermen from the two countries.
Mr Mohammud disclosed plans by the Kenyan and Ethiopian administration to hold joint security meetings to promote peace along the common border.
“Plans are on to have a joint security meeting at Todonyang’  on how to eradicate the outdated culture of cattle raids , dispute over fishing waters and improve livelihood of the pastoral communities,” said Mr Mohammud.
He said the Ethiopian delegation will be led by Chinka zone chief administrator Dittache Maloka and representatives from the Donyiro and Merille clans among other peace stakeholders from both countries.

BODY PARTS
The transformation of several hectares of grazing fields into crop production is driving members of Merille and Nyong’atom pastoralists from Ethiopia to invade parts of Turkana North district for pasture and water triggering fresh armed conflicts along the common border.

Cultural disputes have also cause of conflict between the Turkana and the Merille from Ethiopia that has claimed scores of human live and loss of property.
The Merille are also known to attack the Turkanas between the months of June and October and chop off human body parts for cultural rites.
But Mr Mohammud said joint security operation has been launched to avert further armed conflict between the two communities