The Kwale County Commissioner (CC), Karuku Ngumo has urged residents to refrain from ethnic alignments as it is hampering efforts at unity and harmonious co-existence.
Ngumo said some leaders in the region were promoting tribal groupings, thus dividing the people into indigenous communities and outsiders.
He said the County Security and Intelligence Committee is monitoring the activities of two ethnic groups calling themselves ‘Utsi’ and ‘Taireni”.
The CC who is also the Chairman of the local Security and Intelligence Committee noted that the clandestine activities of the two groups have created a climate of tension, suspense and mistrust among residents.
He said members of the shadowy groups were going round the County, holding secret rendezvous, inciting indigenous communities against ‘outsiders’.
Ngumo said the security apparatus will deal firmly with people involved in incitement and creating divisions among communities along ethnic lines.
“Such tribal groupings to the exclusion of other sections of the society for selfish ends do not augur well for peace and harmony,” he said.
The Kwale Governor, Salim Mvurya said a section of local leaders with an eye on 2022 polls were behind the sprouting of such illegal groups as Utsi and Taireni.
The two-term Governor said a section of leaders seeking to succeed him as county boss was behind the formation of ethnic groups for political mobilization.
He advised residents to avoid tribal groupings and associations since they often result in social problems.
“Voters should be mobilized based on ideology because mobilization based on ethnicity is recipe for chaos” he said and urged residents to refuse to be incited.
He said those seeking leadership positions should not incite people to violence and should refrain from using hate speech.
The County Executive for Culture and Social Services (CEC), Ramadhan Bungale said those behind the clandestine associations were people who lack development agenda for the residents.
Bungale cautioned the youth against joining such retrogressive groupings and should now allow selfish politicians and ethnic demagogues to incite them to violence.
“The problems we face as a county can only be solved through coming together of all residents regardless of our tribal, political and religious differences,” he said at Tiribe town when he attended a sporting event.
By Hussein Abdullahi
