- There has been simmering tension between the Akamba and Somali communities living in the area following recent clashes that resulted in death, injuries and livestock theft.
- At least five people have been killed in one week from both sides.
Image: STEPHEN ASTARIKO
Police have managed to restore sanity along the Garissa-Mwingi Road after hours of standoff following recent clashes between two communities.
The unrest had seen vehicles plying the busy road stopped at Ukasi area in Kitui County.
There has been simmering tension between the Akamba and Somali communities living in the area following recent clashes that resulted in death, injuries and livestock theft.
At least five people have been killed in one week from both sides.
For the better part of Sunday afternoon, the section remained impassable as armed youth wielding machetes, bows, and arrows barricaded the road and threatened to attack passengers and torch vehicles.
The youth were protesting the arrest of Nguni MCA Jeremiah Mutua who was arrested on Sunday afternoon as he headed for a church service in his home Miuni village.
He was bundled into an unmarked Land Cruiser that then sped away.
This led to panic among passengers and other road users who were caught unaware of the developments.
Speaking to the Star on the phone, Osman Mohamed, a conductor with Ryan bus said that police have managed to restore normalcy in the area.
He said unlike the previous day when the youth had barricaded the road, traffic was freely flowing.
“I can confirm to you that vehicles are now passing the area without any disruptions unlike was the case on Sunday. The situation was not bad. It is my hope and prayer that the government deals with it as quickly as possible before it escalates to something else,” he said.
Abdi Haji, a passenger who was travelling from Nairobi to Garissa on Sunday recounted the terrifying incident saying that they were literally under the mercy of the youth who he described as angry and ready to harm them.
Image: STEPHEN ASTARIKO
“As we were passing, trying to evade stones barricaded on the road, the armed youth threatened to smash the vehicle's windscreen, forcing the driver, a non-local, to plead with the youth. He told us to close the windows and lock the vehicle as he pleaded with them," Haji said.
“You can't imagine how terrified we were. We were only relieved when a police Landcruiser arrived to disperse the violent youth,” he said.
Speaking to the Star on the phone Nguni Assistant County Commissioner Ali Chirea confirmed that the MCA had been arrested by NCIC officials over alleged incitement following the clashes between the two communities.
"Yesterday we held a meeting with the locals at Ukasi . We managed to talk to the residents who were protesting against the arrest of their MCA. I can confirm that calm has been restored,” he said.
For the past three years, the Somali herders and the Akamba community have been involved in sporadic clashes that have claimed several lives.
The Akamba community has been accusing the herders who migrated to Kitui County in search of water and pasture for their animals of encroaching into their farms, while the herders complained about theft and injuries inflicted upon their livestock, resulting in skirmishes.
In response to the recent tensions along the Tana River County and Kitui border, the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) condemned the violence on Friday and called for an immediate cessation.
According to the Commission, the conflict in Mandongoi, Kyuso Sub County, has resulted in death, injuries, and livestock theft between the two neighbouring communities.
NCIC Chairman Samuel Kobia condemned the violence and offered condolences to the affected families. He also urged residents of Kitui and Tana River counties to refrain from actions that could worsen the situation.