Five people were killed in Bute, Wajir North, on Sunday evening following renewed hostilities between two neighbouring clans of Ajuran community and Ormo from Ethiopia.
The row started when a Kenyan boda boda rider was allegedly kidnapped, strangled and killed 7km from the town.
Residents said angry boda boda operators then turned on Ethiopia nationals running various businesses in the border town, striking anyone on site with a panga.
“Security officers were able to restore order and even have people across housed in safe areas,” Bute resident Mohamed Hassan told the Star on phone on Monday.
He said three people were seriously injured and are being treated at a local hospital.
County commissioner Jacob Narengo confirmed the reports on Monday.
Northeastern regional police commander Rono Bunei said security officers have been deployed to restore security and stop more bloodshed. He warned that the government will take stern action against those found to have been involved.
Governor Mohamed Abdi condemned the incident on Facebook and called for calm, terming the deaths painfully shocking.
“I express my condolences to the families of the victims and pray for quick recovery of the injured,” he said.
Abdi appreciated the county security team for quelling the tension and visiting the area. He urged residents from both sides to stop the bloodshed and peacefully coexist, saying that more retaliatory attacks will only serve to make an already bad situation worse.
“Apprehend the culprits who are suspected to have crossed over to Ethiopia and further address this matter with finality by controlling the high number of foreign labourers sneaking in to the country, trafficking drugs, promoting promiscuity and contributing generally to insecurity incidences," he told the team.
Edited by R.Wamochie