Police arrest nine over Narok clashes, go for paymaster

Police have arrested nine people from Kuresoi South Sub-county over the tribal clashes at Olpusimoru Ward in Narok North.

The suspects were apprehended at Olengape village and found with 126 arrows five bows, a spear and a panga.

OUTSIDERS

The suspects were paraded before Narok County Commissioner George Natembeya, who said they had been driving a saloon car from the battlefield to Olengurone trading center.

“The car was intercepted by police before landing in a ditch. On inspecting it, we found the weapons,” Mr Natembeya told reporters during a Wednesday morning briefing at his office.

He said the suspects were taken to Narok Police Station and will be arraigned on Thursday morning.

The commissioner, who was accompanied by the county security team, reported that youths from the neighbouring Nakuru and Bomet counties were being ferried to the clash-hit area to burn houses.

“It’s very unfortunate that these people are ferried using motorcycles and saloon cars from their counties to come and kill people. After sunset, they converge at Olengurune trading center to receive money," he said.

"WEALTHY PEOPLE"

More clashes erupted on Sunday evening when seven cattle were stolen from the home of a member of the Kipsigis community in Olmariko.

Mr Natembeya said the attacks were organised and that investigations, with the help of those arrested, will unearth the source of funding and the people involved.

The commissioner said police have established that people resisting phase two of evictions were behind the funding of the clashes in Narok South and Narok North sub-counties.

“Phase two involves wealthy people. They bought the land and are using tribal clashes to divert attention from the real cause of the chaos in Mau Forest. They are misguided since the evictions are on course and cannot be stopped."

And after announcing a dusk-to-dawn curfew in clash-hit areas, the security team proposed a raft of measures to contain the skirmishes once and for all.

“We have enough officers on the ground as we added General Service Unit officers from Molo and Nairobi. Police officers are now divided into seven sectors in the five affected villages of Olengape, Tegaat, Esoit, Olmariko and Olpusimoru. The area has remained calm for the last 12 hours," Mr Natembeta said.

He added that a Rapid Deployment Unit camp will be built at the Olengape border of Narok and Nakuru and that more officers will be deployed to Olpusimoru Police Station for quick response to such incidents in future.

GRAZING BAN

Mr Natembeya further announced a ban on grazing in the Maasai Mau forest, saying all the animals must be driven out in the next three days.

“We have mobilised a team of officers to speedily drive all the livestock to Nkoben area where the owners will identify them and drive them to their homes,” he said.

He said criminals were using cattle theft to create hatred between the Maasai and Kispsigis so the fighting is not tribal as perceived.

Former Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto led politicians in his Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party leaders in condemning the violence in Olpusimoru Ward in Narok North.

Mr Ruto said the government should handle the clashes as an isolated case and punish perpetrators from both sides. 

"Communities should help the government to find the criminals. If they are their children they should be arrested so Kenyans can live in peace."

Fights between the two communities have left at least 30 people, including three police officers, admitted with arrow-shot injuries, at least one dead, at least 50 houses burned and more than 42 livestock stolen.