By Cyrus Ombati

NAIROBI, KENYA: Leaders from the volatile Tana River Delta want security agencies in the region to be facilitated to enhance their operations.

The leaders, who included  Garsen MP Danson Mungatana, Galole’s Dhadho Godana and former envoy Hussein Dhadho among other professionals said they were united in calling for cessation of hostilities among communities in a first step towards restoring elusive peace in the region.

The leaders had on Saturday called on the Government to station a helicopter in the region to help track down the criminals.

“Due to the difficult terrain, our security officers are unable to do so quickly,” said Mungatana.

They vowed to conduct joint rallies to preach peace ahead of the March 4 General Election. They also agreed to hold joint peace meetings in all conflict areas starting from today in Tarassa and Oda.

The leaders declared after a meeting in Nairobi that they want those accused of being behind the clashes in the region to be speedily prosecuted as a way of deterrence.

“We urge our people to maintain peace and work with the security agencies in identifying inciters and ring leaders behind the attacks,” they said in a statement read by former area MP Omar Soba.

The leaders from the Pokomo, Orma and Wardei communities said they are committed to peace efforts to restore normalcy in the bloodletting that has led to the deaths of close to 200 people and the displacement of 34,000 others.

They made the statement after holding a meeting with Internal Security Minister Katoo ole Metito, Assistant Minister Simeon Lesrima, Inspector General of Police David Kimaiyo, PS Mutea Iringo, CID Director Ndegwa Muhoro, acting AP Commandant Samuel Arachi and Deputy Commissioner of Police Francis Okonya.

Deserted villages

They refused to respond to questions fielded by journalists after their meeting, saying they did not want to be drawn into the past happenings.

The development comes as locals continue with exodus from the region in fear of retaliatory attacks. Police on patrol in the area yesterday said most villages are now deserted.

“The residents are running away in fear of being attacked. Police are now patrolling deserted villages,” said a senior officer.

The Tana leaders urged the locals to return to their homes and demanded that schools be opened with immediate effect.

Illegal guns

Kimaiyo said disarmament for illegal guns is ongoing after the expiry of his ultimatum for the locals to surrender the weapons, including the nine that were stolen from police in a previous attack.

“We have established that more than 90 per cent of the attacks are committed by use of crude weapons and pangas. This means that there are few guns in the hands of civilians, which we want to recover,” said Kimaiyo.