Police investigate land conflict that left MCA, dozens injured in Taita

Police in Taita Taveta County have launched investigations into the chaos that left a Member of the County Assembly and scores of Taveta Sub-county residents critically injured.

The villagers were injured in a confrontation over a land dispute last week.

Communities living in Challa Division have been fighting over ownership of the over 4800 acres parcel of land.

The vast agricultural land has been at the centre of conflict between Taita, Taveta, Kamba and Maasai communities.

It is home to more than 5000 squatters who have occupied it for years.

Yesterday, the new Taita Taveta County Police Commander Jonathan Koech said they have launched investigations into the chaos, which left Wiper's nominated MCA Rose Shingira with a broken left leg.

Shingira got injured as she escaped the skirmishes.

Koech said police are pursuing the perpetrators of the chaos with the view of prosecuting them for the violence.

"The MCA broke her leg while running away from criminals. In the process, she fell and a speeding motorcycle ran over," Koech said.

He said the injured legislator was among MCAs who attended the volatile meeting at the Lumi area along the Taveta-Rombo Road.

"Those injured were scampering for safety after chaos erupted. Police later arrived and restored calm," said Koech.

He said some politicians could have sponsored the violence.

"The problem is that the organizers of the meeting did not notify the police to provide security and we should not be blamed for the fracas," he said.

Antony Kinyili, the Challa Ward MCA in whose area the chaos occurred, blamed the police for failing to provide security at the consultative meeting convened by the assembly's Lands committee which over 20 MCAs attended.

Kinyili said the meeting turned chaotic forcing the MCAs, led by the assembly's Lands committee chairperson Hope Mwakio, to flee.

According to the National Government Administrative Officers (NGAO), the meeting lasted only 10 minutes.

"We were not involved in the planning of the meeting and proper coordination by the organizers is to be blamed for the chaos," said Challa Assistant County Commissioner (ACC) Virginia Makato.

Makato said different communities living in the area clashed at the meeting, which ended in chaos and disarray.

"We were not invited or notified of the meeting by the conveners. The communication of the meeting also came late to the communities living in the area and nobody should blame us. The area MCA Antony Kinyili is better placed to give more details. But as far as we are concerned, the office of the Deputy County Commissioner was not notified," Ms Makato.

She, however, warned that anyone found inciting residents to violence will be dealt with according to the law.

"I have already briefed the DCC about the incident and action will be taken against those found culpable," she warned.

But Kinyili said all relevant stakeholders, among them the NGAO officials and police, were notified of the meeting on time.

He confirmed that the assembly's Lands committee had convened the meeting following a petition filed by the Taita community who claimed that their ancestral land had been invaded and grabbed by outsiders.

He said the assembly had convened the meeting to try and help address the controversy surrounding the disputed land ownership, only to be kicked out.