Security has been beefed up at the Angata Barikoi area in Trans Mara South Sub County following on-and-off clashes between two warring communities who live at the border of Narok and Migori counties.
Speaking when he toured the area, Rift Valley Regional Commissioner Dr. Abdi Hassan said four people were killed, ten injured, and several acres of maize plantations destroyed in recent clashes.
He linked the clashes to competition over farming land and grazing areas, as the two communities are both livestock and crop farmers.
“Police will keep patrol 24 hours a day to ensure peace prevails in this region. We will also be holding meetings with our colleagues from the Nyanza region so that we can resolve this issue permanently,” he said.
He warned those who carry dangerous weapons like spears, arrows, and bows that they would not be spared in the ongoing operations.
“Please be reminded that carrying weapons is against the law. We have enough security personnel in this area to protect all residents,” he said.
Dr. Hassan also sounded a warning to public servants who fuel chaos by inciting one community against the other, saying they were monitoring them closely.
The RC was accompanied by the Rift Valley security team and County security team led by County Commissioner Kipkech Lotiatia.
The residents who spoke called for peaceful meetings to be held in the area so as to unite the two communities that have been battling each other for a long time.
Angata Barikoi Member of County Assembly Gabriel Mibei asked the RC to hold a meeting with his Nyanza counterpart to resolve the issue that is now a thorn in the flesh.
“We are ready to resolve all the underlying issues that have been causing us to fight. We ask the RC to act as our mediator between the two communities,” he said.
The meeting comes only a few months after Narok Governor Patrick Ntutu and Commissioner Lotiatia held a peace meeting in an attempt to restore peace in the volatile land.
The state established a General Service Unit (GSU) camp in the area to curb the on and off clashes.
By Ann Salaton