Bring to an end this senseless bloodshed

The senseless killings in Moyale are unfortunate and completely unconscionable.

Clashes between the Garba and Borana communities, which broke out early in the week, have not only led to loss of lives, but also disrupted business in the town.

It is disturbing that children cannot attend school for fear of attacks in a country that prides itself in having the most ambitious education programmes in the region.

This cannot be allowed to continue, and relevant state security agencies must be mobilised to stop any further bloodshed.

On this, we expect full cooperation between the local political leadership, wananchi and law enforcement agencies.

The government has a duty to protect its citizens as well as their properties.

But, on the other hand, citizens must be reminded that they bear the patriotic responsibility of promoting tolerance and peaceful co-existence with their neighbours.

We are concerned at the revelation that the violence could be as a result of incitement by politicians.

This is unthinkable, nay, unacceptable in a country whose citizens — including two presidential candidates — have just been indicted by an international court over the 2008 post-election violence.

It appears that the political elite is yet to learn any lessons from the ICC process. Whatever the grievance, violence can never be justified.

Machetes have no place in a civilised society that is founded on the principles of justice and the rule of law.

That is why, even as we support government efforts to restore peace and order in the region, we encourage greater cooperation to ensure that those responsible face the full wrath of the law.

We understand that the conflict is a ventilation of long-standing historical grievances revolving around concerns of marginalisation.

And so, as efforts are made to resolve the matter, we hope that the debate will be guided by the values of the new Constitution, which underlines compromise, unity and integration.