Houses burnt after Maasai and Kipsigis fight over water in Pimbinyiet, Narok County

Warriors on guard at Pimbinyiet on the Trans Mara East-Trans Mara West border after fighting erupted between the Kipsigis and Maasai in August 2016. Over 10 houses were burnt on September 12, 2016 after the communities fought over water. FILE PHOTO | RUTH MBULA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • A gang from the Maasai side crossed the river and fired several shots into the air, scaring away their neighbours.
  • With Monday’s events, the tribal clashes have now extended to Masare in Mogor Location.
  • Mr John Cholio, a resident of Mogor said the heavily armed youths were on a killing mission.
  • Trans Mara peace committee chairman Julius ole Maki condemned the incident.

More than 10 houses were torched on Monday in fresh clashes between members of the Maasai and Kipsigis communities in Pimbinyiet Sub-Location, Narok County.

The fighting started after youths from both communities disagreed over the use of water from River Mogor, a shared natural resource in the region.

Residents said youths from the Maasai community accused their Kipsigis neighbours of preventing them from using the water.

“They many times prevented our cattle from drinking water at the river. This clearly agitated us and we decided to fight back because this is our right,” said a resident who did not want to be identified.

A gang from the Maasai side, according to area Chief David Kipkoech Korir, crossed the river that separates the two communities to the Kipsigis side and fired several shots in the air, scaring away their neighbours.

“This sent many people from the Kipsigis community scampering for safety. Many of them slept in the bushes for fear of being killed,” he said.

Mr Korir said the gang then started torching houses.

“About 10 houses were set ablaze by the arsonists,” he said.

UNEASY CALM

He said an uneasy calm had returned to the region for the past one month after clashes between the two communities ceased.

But with Monday’s events, the tribal clashes have now extended to Masare in Mogor Location.

John Cholio, a resident of Mogor, said the heavily armed youths were on a killing mission.

“But we scampered for safety as soon as we heard them and hid in the bushes,” he said.

He said they had at first thought the armed youths were government security officers only to realise later that they were their neighbours.

Trans Mara peace committee chairman Julius ole Maki condemned the attack, saying it was regrettable that communities were still fighting each other to date.

“We are calling for peace at Pimbinyiet,” said Mr Maki.

Security committees, led by Trans Mara West Deputy County Commissioner Mericho Maina and his Trans Mara East counterpart Gathungu Machira, were expected to tour the region Tuesday.

About a month ago, political leaders from the region, led by Narok Governor Samuel ole Tunai, Kilgoris MP Gideon Konchella and Emurua Dikirr MP Johana Ng’eno, held a peace meeting with Pimbinyiet residents at Birrar Girls High School.

They agreed to spearhead peace talks between the two communities.