The Government is carrying out investigations in an effort to bring to book organizers and perpetrators of ethnic attacks executed under the guise of cattle rustling in Marsabit County.
The County Commissioner (CC), Evans Achoki said the probe into the attacks by armed militia, including a recent incident staged in Jaldesa and Kukuto areas in Marsabit Central Sub-county that claimed 13 lives among them three policemen, was progressing well.
Speaking at Moi Girls Secondary School during a peace sensitization meeting for communities living along the Kenya-Ethiopia border, Achoki warned that the government will take stern action against individuals behind incitement to violence.
The peace campaign organized by UNDP under the Ethiopia-Kenya Cross Border Peace Program also aims at endowing communities in the region economically as well as creating awareness against ethnic hatred.
The CC warned that government will continue mopping up all illegal arms in the area, noting that no civilian was authorized to possess a firearm illegally.
He expressed concern that ethnic hostilities had resulted into insecurity hence scaring away potential investors and occasioning growth stagnation against the aspirations of vision 2030.
In response to calls by local leaders who included County Women Representative, Safia Adan, the CC said that the government had no plans to arm National Police Reservists (NPR).
“No guns repossessed from the NPR will be returned until you people ensure illicit firearms are surrendered to the government and tranquility restored in this county,” the County Commissioner who is also the Chairperson of the County Security and Intelligence Committee stated.
He cautioned that no effort will be spared in the on-going disarmament operation to ensure all illegal guns are mopped up.
The Laisamis Sub-county Peace Committee Chairperson, Peter Galwersi, said that tribal conflicts were brought about by politics and called for firm action against the inciters.
Galwersi also called for better control of the porous international borders in a bid to curtail the proliferation of small arms into the country.
The function was attended by Governor Mohamud Ali and the Programme Manager, Dr. Asfaw Kumsa from Ethiopia.
By Sebastian Miriti
