Families flee their homes for fear of fresh attacks in Witu

Hundreds of families from Witu are camping at the local African Inland Church (AIC) and the district officer’s office after fleeing their homes following Monday’s massacre at Kathaka Kairu village, Pandanguo sub-location.

Half of the internally displaced people are camping at the church, according to Kenya Red Cross Coordinator for Magarini and Kilifi Hassan Musa who also covers Mpeketoni District in Lamu.

“There are about 200 families at AIC and at the Witu DO’s office,” said Hassan Musa, the region’s Red Cross coordinator.

He added: “We are registering people at the two camps but also waiting for the Government to officially establish the camps.”

Mpeketoni District Commissioner Ben Maisori noted that a school has been shut down in Pandanguo after teachers fled the area following Monday’s violence.

Mr Maisori claimed rival tribes in Lamu and neighbouring areas are taking advantage of the unrest in Lamu county to settle scores.

The IDPs said despite being in camps, they fear for their lives as their security at the camps is not guaranteed.

Meanwhile, leaders in Mpeketoni want the Government to hasten recruitment of more Kenya Police Reservists (KPR) in the area.

ADEQUATE SECURITY

Lamu Deputy Governor Eric Mugo, MP Julius Ndegwa and Member of County Assembly (MCA) James Njomo said KPR officers are always the first line of defence at the grassroots in the event of any public disorder.

“Mpeketoni has seen its fair share of ugly incidents with many lives lost and property destroyed. We want assurance from the Government for adequate security as it is our right to be protected by the State,” said Mr Mugo.

The trio spoke at a ceremony held at the Mpeketoni sub-district hospital to receive donations towards a relief kitty in aid of victims of the recent massacre.

Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) Chairman Danson Mungatana led senior KPA managers in donating an assortment of medical supplies and cash totalling Sh1 million towards the kitty.

Mungatana reiterated the entire Lamu County was special to KPA’s development agenda and that the authority would not scale down the projects it is undertaking in Lamu.

“Security is prudent. We cannot achieve development if security is lacking. President Uhuru Kenyatta’s government means well for all Kenyans and it is our belief that the Government will boost security here so that normalcy can return and so that the people of Mpeketoni can continue in nation building,’’ said Mungatana.

rights violation

Meanwhile, Haki Africa, a civil society group, has dispatched a team of experts to Mpeketoni to find out whether any forms of human rights violations may have led to the massacre.

Speaking to The Standard on phone from Lahore, Pakistan, Haki Africa Executive Director Hussein Khalid said they have established contacts with international human rights groups like the Open Society Justice Initiative, Human Rights and Amnesty International to help in the documentation of human rights violations, if any ever happened.

FRESH KILLINGS

“We are appaled by these killings and the ever-deteriorating state of security. With the fresh killings, it is clear the situation has not been arrested,” Mr Khalid said.

He said his organisation believes in the promotion and protection of human rights and not just condemning acts of lawlessness.

“HAKI Africa has dispatched a team of experts to undertake human rights documentation with a view to establishing the real situation on the ground. The team, led by our Gender Rights Coordinator Salma Hemed, will among other things seek to establish what transpired during the attacks; the description of the attackers involved and the response from the security agencies,” he said.