Security teams move to avert clashes over pasture

By OSINDE OBARE

Turkana County

Security teams from Kenya and South Sudan have moved in to quell looming tension between Toposa and Turkana herders over sharing scarce pasture and water.

Turkana West DO One Eric Wafula and Kapoeta Acting Commissioner Moses Mario at the weekend chaired a peace meeting at Natapal to calm the tension.

The two security teams asked herders from the two communities to come up with elaborate grazing mechanisms to avert conflicts.

At the same time, the teams resolved to arrest those who engage in practices that affect peaceful coexistence, particularly cattle rustling.

"It is true there is tension over the sharing of scarce resources along the border, but we have talked with elders from both sides to come up with a workable formula on how to share pasture and water," said Mr Wafula.

The administrators urged the herders to embrace peace in order to pave way for development along the common border.

Relief food

They reminded the herders their livelihoods would be adversely affected if they failed to agree to share pasture and watering points.

Meanwhile, armed bandits ambushed and attacked a lorry owned by Labour Minister John Munyes, which was transporting relief food from Lodwar to Lokichoggio on Friday night.

Four bandits armed with AK-47 rifles opened fire on the lorry, forcing the driver to stop at Kalobeyeyi between Kakuma and Lokichoggio towns. But as the bandits were busy off-loading some food from the lorry, the driver secretly called and alerted police in Kakuma, who rushed to the scene. Mr Wafula said there was a heavy exchange of fire between the security officers and the attackers.

Bandits escape

He said the bandits escaped into the bush, but no casualty was reported during the gun battle.

The administrator said the lorry was ferrying relief food for distribution to starving villagers in Nanam near Lokichoggio town.

The DO1 condemned the attack and warned highway criminals that their days were numbered. "It is unfortunate that some people are out to sabotage humanitarian services, but we are going to deal with them ruthlessly," he warned.

He assured transporters of relief food that the Government has deployed security officers to protect them from criminals.

"We do not discriminate distribution of food and I wonder why the criminals decide to loot relief food instead of going to the nearest distribution centre where they can get food without using force," said Wafula.