Families who had fled Eldera area along the border of Isiolo and Garissa counties eight months ago following ethnic conflicts between two pastoralist communities have started returning home after the government and elders restored peace.
Thirty-five families of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who had been camping in Garbatulla town since July last year have gone back to their homes. The remaining 12 families are expected to return home soon.
The Garbatulla Deputy County Commissioner (DCC), Victor Kamonde said the remaining families are yet to return since their children were enrolled in schools around Garbatulla after their former schools in Eldera were destroyed during the violence.
The DCC said normalcy has resumed to the area and the government has beefed up security to ensure life and properties of the residents are protected.
The local leaders and the government have now embarked on renovating public institutions, including Eldera primary school and Eldera dispensary.
The Isiolo Governor, Mohamed Kuti, Isiolo South MP, Abdi Koropu and County women representative, Rehema Jaldesa at the end of the week distributed assorted household items to the affected families in an effort to aid resettling of the IDPs.
The security team is currently engaging elders from both Lagdera and Garbatulla sub counties in a bid to reconcile the communities.
The IDPs were resettled following the Nanyuki II accord reached when security officials, politicians and eminent elders from the two counties met late last year to deliberate on peace building.
The clashes which erupted as a result of land disputes left three people dead, three others injured and 247 persons displaced.
By David Nduro
