Tana River Governor Dhadho Godhana has attributed the recent intercommunal clashes to administrative boundaries and resource allocation between local communities that he says have underlying discrepancies that have resulted in the loss of life and property.
Speaking in Mombasa, the County boss says the occurrences have lifted the lid on key issues that the national government and the county government have overlooked in successive administrations.
Godhana pointed out that apart from the boundaries and resource problems facing the county, migrant communities facilitated by influential political hands have settled in the county, further precipitating animosity between the local communities.
“The root causes of the problems in Tana River are many but the recent clashes have revealed administrative boundaries with neighbouring counties, internally within Sub-Counties coupled with resource utilities that have issues that the national government need to resolve to avert these happenings,” said Godhana.
The Regional Security and Intelligence Committee led by Regional Commissioner (RC) Rhoda Onyancha pitched camp in the County a fortnight ago after 18 people were killed and others injured after clashes rocked Anole village, Bangale Sub-County, Nanighi village Tana North Sub-County with Matagala village being the most affected.
He urged the national government to expedite the boundary queries promptly and strategically with the full participation of the people of Tana River for communities to co-exist peacefully.
“Proper demarcation of boundaries that are definitive will make part of the solution to the cause of the sporadic cases of interclan and inter-communal clashes. Right from the Ward level to the sub-county level,” added Godhana.
The governor acknowledged that the leadership of the counties involved; Kitui and Tana River have met with the relevant authorities to try and mitigate the thorny issue surrounding boundaries in the neighbouring counties and device cohesion causes.
In the wake of the clashes two weeks ago, Godhana was taken in for questioning at the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Headquarters (HQ) in Nairobi.
Investigations into the incidents are ongoing.
By Andrew Hinga
