Inter-clan clashes causing death, destruction in Garissa

Garissa, Kenya: In Garissa, more than 10 people have been killed while in Mandera, 17 have lost their lives due to the skirmishes

Two people were killed and two others injured over the weekend in two separate inter-clan skirmishes in Garissa and Mandera counties.

 In the first incident that occurred on Saturday morning, one person was shot dead and another seriously injured in the troubled Qabobey village in renewed clan clashes.

Confirming the incident, Garissa County commissioner Rashid Khator said a middle aged herder was killed and his colleague hospitalised, at the Garissa General Hospital with gun wounds.

PEACE COMMITTEES

Khator said this occurred after fighting erupted between two rival Auliyahan and Abdiwak clans who are entangled in a protracted dispute over a grazing land and water points.

The commissioner said they have sent a security team to contain this renewed inter-clan hostilities and thwart and more bloodshed.

“We have also set a meeting with peace committees from both sides so that they can mediate and find an amicable way to resolve their disputes. We are determined to forestall the break-out of fully fledged clashes,” the county administrator said.

Khator said no arrests have so far been made but police have strong leads and are pursuing the culprits.

He issued a warning that those found to have been involved in fuelling the violence will face the full force of the law regardless of their position within the two clans.

More than 10 people have been killed in sporadic fighting between the two rival clans in Qabobey since hostilities were renewed a year ago.

 In March this year scores of people, especially women and children, were displaced after 21 houses and a borehole drilling rig, estimated at Sh20 million were burnt down in Qabobey village.

INCREASED ATTACKS

Early this month, one person was killed after raiders, believed to be numbering over 20, and armed with sophisticated weaponry attacked herders, who were grazing their livestock in the grazing fields’ neighbouring their village.

The county commissioner has called on the two clans to restrain themselves and stop taking the law into their hands.

In the second incident, a middle-aged woman was killed and a teenage boy was seriously injured after  suspected Degodia militia invaded Garre village in farflung Banisa Township, Mandera County.

The attack, which happened on Friday evening, brings the death toll, due to clan related violence, to 17.

Confirming the incident, Mandera county Police Commander Noah Mwivanda said the woman died on the spot of gun wound injuries while the young boy sustained fatal bullet injuries and was rushed to Rhamu District Hospital for specialised medical attention.

Too far

The county police chief said the village where the armed raiders invaded is too remote and inaccessible for the security officers to reach the area by vehicle.

“Our officers are now heading toward the area on foot and this will take them several hours or even days. This is the only way to access the village,” he said.

Attempts to reconcile these warring Degodia and Garre clans, since clashes erupted last week, have proven futile.

Each clan militia appears to be on a revenge mission whey they have declared intent to avenge death of their kinsmen.