In this, as in most villages affected by violence, most women and children have been transported to far away areas leaving behind men.
Military personnel sealed off Semikaro rendering it inaccessible.
On Wednesday, several families were ferried to Lamu but some of the children were left because no person was willing to take care of them.
According to Kofa, the children could also not walk to other villages on the opposite side of Semikaro because “they will not be accepted since they are from Orma villages.”
Kofa’s chilling disclosure is a confirmation of one of the characteristics of the violence between the two tribes.
Area chief Faicha Fumo, who was also fleeing for his safety said: “I am just like any other villager here. My home was attacked and all my property stolen,” he said as he prepared to flee, perhaps aware that there could be worse violence given that the attackers were not deterred by the presence of 40 police officers at Semikaro.
Smuggling them
Since violence broke out in August this year, children and women have not been spared the barbarity of the carnage.
Some of them were attacked by the raiders and others were kidnapped as war booty.
Inevitably, some of them have also joined the war. They walk around with machetes and spears to defend their farms, homes and themselves.
When The Standard On Saturday team visited Semikaro four days ago, reporters encountered the dilemma of covering a story where intense emotions are involved.
Those who empathised with the children and other people who had been displaced realised that smuggling them away invited danger. During the tour, journalists and aid officials were stopped at Kilelengwani and their vehicles searched by Orma vigilantes in search of Pokomos.
