Contain border clashes before they escalate

The perennial clashes between communities bordering the Kisumu and Nandi counties have yet again disrupted the peace and every effort must be made to contain the violence. Already, six people have died and scores of houses burnt by arsonists who, reports indicate, were on a cattle raid. Kisumu County Commissioner John Elungata says every effort must be made to restore the peace, and so we urge residents of the clash area to heed his advice. Cyclical clashes among neighbouring ethnic communities is becoming far too common and this should worry us.

Three weeks ago, authorities struggled to quell the fighting when two communities clashed in the area surrounding Olengape village in Narok County, leaving 2,000 people displaced. The torching of 200 houses left about 250 families without shelter on Christmas Day. Fortunately, peace has been restored and calm has since returned to the area.

These clashes preceded a fresh round of ethnic skirmishes in Isiolo County in October where six people were killed and 1,000 animals stolen in a disputed area along the border of Kulamawe in Isiolo and Mutuati in Meru. The matter has not been fully resolved and last week, another row between Meru and Isiolo counties erupted over the fixing of beacons along the disputed border. In his protest, Isiolo Governor Godana Doyo said the exercise should stop until a court case on the boundary issue is determined. This is a flashpoint that needs special attention.

There have been similar confrontations in Marigat district, Baringo County and parts of northern Kenya leading to deaths and displacements. Although these incidents of violence may appear sporadic and unrelated, collectively they paint a picture of communities that are not at peace with their neighbours.

The matter takes a more sinister dimension when we realise that the fighting can escalate if they are fanned by individuals who are determined to make political capital out of violence that spawns between communities triggered by cattle rustling, border disputes or conflict over resources. It is not unrealistic to expect that this could happen in the run up to the August 2017 General Election, what with the growing number of politicians facing indictment in our courts over hate speech. Because we live in delicate times, authorities must make every effort to engender peaceful con-existence among communities.