President Uhuru Kenyatta urged to help end Marsabit violence

President Uhuru Kenyatta has been asked to intervene and end the ongoing fighting in Marsabit County.

Businessman Jaffer Isaak who had expressed interest for the presidency in last year’s elections but did not contest, said the fighting that has left a number of people killed was political.

Mr Isaak said some community leaders with the backing of a senior politician unhappy with Governor Ukur Yatani’s win in March 4, 2013 elections were fanning the violence.

“They want the area to become ungovernable so that it could be blamed on Mr Yatani for political reasons. It is a fight for supremacy with a party which is a member of the Jubilee coalition wanting to wrestle the county’s leadership. It is a dirty political game that belongs to the past,” Mr Isaak said.

Speaking to the Nation by phone, he said the local politicians who were funding the chaos were being supported by militias from Ethiopia.

Mr Isaak urged President Kenyatta to intervene and end the fighting to prevent innocent residents from much suffering.

“We have been using our private resources to bring those injured in the attacks for treatment in Nairobi but some are suffering at home. This attacks targeting one community for winning election should end. Those inciting the chaos should know they are not above the law,” Mr Isaak said.

The businessman also asked the police to ensure security to locals and arrest those funding the violence.

“Police should do their work without any favours. There is no need to blame the governor for the chaos as security is under the national government. Even if he has erred, there is a procedure for bringing him to account,” Mr Isaak said.

He denied that some communities had been denied positions in the county government saying all of them were well represented.

Mr Isaak is a former military man, taxi driver and now businessman.

On Tuesday, six people were feared dead and four others seriously injured in renewed fighting in Marsabit.

The six were said to be part of a group of raiders from neighbouring Ethiopia who stormed manyattas in Dukana 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 heads of cattle recovered.

Mr Yatani said 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.

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 to all watering points in Moyale.