Six feared dead in Marsabit raid

Marsabit Governor Ukur Yatani speaks at a past media briefing. Medical workers in the county have issued an alert over rising cases of Kala-azar following the death of 11 people from the disease in the past two months. PHOTO | FILE

What you need to know:

  • Marsabit County police boss Erastus Muthamia said the 6.30am incident left four people seriously injured but maintained police were yet to confirm the deaths of the six raiders.
  • The attacks also came two months after a meeting in Dukana in November last year where the two communities living on the Kenya-Ethiopia border pledged to stop the cattle raids.

Six people are feared dead and four others serious injured in renewed fighting in Marsabit County.

The six are said to be part of a group of raiders from neighbouring Ethiopia who stormed manyattas in Dukana Tuesday and stole livestock belonging to a rival community.

Marsabit County police boss Erastus Muthamia said the 6.30am incident left four people seriously injured but maintained police were yet to confirm the deaths of the six raiders.

“The raiders attacked manyattas at Dukana and stole cattle. Our officers pursued them and recovered some of the animals,” he said.

Mr Muthamia said three Kenya Police Reservists were injured and 600 head of cattle recovered. “We are pursuing the rest and hope to recover more,” he added.

Marsabit Governor Ukur Yatani told Daily Nation by phone from Dukana that the six killed were Borana raiders while the four who were injured were herders from the Gabra community.

He said there were simultaneous raids in Dukana, El-haddi and three other places on the Kenya-Ethiopia border.

“There are casualties and several hundred livestock were stolen,” said Mr Yatani. He appealed to Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo and the military for reinforcements to recover the animals before they were driven across the border.

The attacks came four days after four people were killed on Saturday at Odda borehole after a disagreement over water. During the confrontation, 11 camels were killed.

The government on Monday responded by deploying security personnel at all watering points in Moyale.

The attacks also came two months after a meeting in Dukana in November last year where the two communities living on the Kenya-Ethiopia border pledged to stop the cattle raids.

The meeting by the Gabra and Borana from Kenya and Ethiopia was also attended by Marsabit County government officials led by Mr Yatani, their counterparts from Ethiopia, and security officials from both countries.

The meeting was organised following an earlier attack where 200 head of cattle were stolen in Ethiopia and were later found on the Kenyan side.
Dukana is 300km north of Marsabit town and about 10km from the Ethiopian border.