Five killed as villagers fight off cattle bandits

Marsabit County governor Ukur Yattani. FILE PHOTO |

What you need to know:

  • Police patrols stepped up after attack
  • The attack at Buluku, according to County Commissioner Peter Thuku, involved the Gabbra and Dasaanach communities.

Five people were killed and 12 others injured in a bandit attack on a North Horr village.

Four villagers have been missing since the Wednesday incident.

The attack at Buluku, according to County Commissioner Peter Thuku, involved the Gabbra and Dasaanach communities.

Mr Thuku told the Nation by telephone that security personnel began combing the bushy area in search of the bandits after learning about the attack.

“The bandits wanted to steal cattle but faced some resistance, resulting in the killing of five people. Reports of the attack delayed reaching the police due to communication hitches.”

The administrator said the injured were recovering at Dukana Hospital.

Local communities have in the past fought over pasture and water for their livestock.

“We now have the rains and some people want to restock through theft,” Mr Thuku said, noting that security had been restored after police patrols were intensified.

A combined team of General Service Unit, regular and Administration Police officers has been deployed to Dukana.

“I have also addressed meetings, urging communities to respect each other,” said the commissioner.

Marsabit is Kenya’s largest county, extending from Wajir in the east to Turkana in the west. It is 78,000 square kilometres and is inhabited by 14 communities, notorious for occasional conflicts.

The conflicts had, however, eased in the last nine months.

Several United Nations agencies have stepped in to help ensure lasting peace in the region.

POVERTY EDUCATION

United Nations Centre for Regional Development’s Africa office coordinator Asfaw Kumssa and International Organisation for Migration Crisis Response Unit head Sharif Ahmed said they would focus on poverty reduction, conflict management and peace building.

Also involved in the peace efforts are UNHCR, UNDP, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the Kenya Red Cross.

When they recently visited Governor Ukur Yattani recently, Mr Kumssa and Mr Ahmed said since conflict in the county usually originated from Ethiopia, the Orma regional government and Inter-Governmental Authority on Development would also be involved in the peace efforts.