Inter-tribal clashes continue despite presence of heavily armed police officer

Armed Maasai Morans pursuing armed kipsigis youth at Olpusimoru in Narok county following the tribal clashes in the area on September 24,2018. [Photo:Kipsang Joseph/Standard]

There was uneasy calm in clash-hit areas in Narok as heavily armed police officers patrolled the affected regions.

The Standard yesterday established that police officers attached to the Kenya Forest, Prisons and Kenya Wildlife services, and Directorate of Criminal Investigations and General Service Unit had been deployed to quell the clashes between two communities at Olposimoru in Narok North.

The patrols covered Olenguruone, approximately five kilometres from Olposimoru.

Their presence, however, did not stop residents from carrying bows and arrows and other weapons as they attacked one another.

Local residents continue to live in fear as women and children flee their homes to safer areas.

More than 50 houses were torched on Monday morning, 26 people were injured and one person was killed in fresh clashes.

Top security officers from both Nakuru and Narok counties visited the region and addressed a meeting attended by youths armed with bows and arrows.

The meeting was interrupted as morans left to respond to claims that attackers were advancing on their area.

Narok County Commissioner George Natembeya and his Nakuru colleague, Joshua Nkanatha, were present.

Some of the officers who were in the meeting could be heard saying there was nothing they could do as the youths left the meeting.

Some residents have accused police officers of laxity in tackling the clashes.

“People are killed, animals stolen, armed youths walk freely despite the presence of heavily armed police officers in the area. Women and children have fled their homes due to insecurity, yet police officers are doing nothing,” said Denis Ruto, a resident of Amalo village in Olenguruone.

Mr Ruto claimed that armed youths were ferried to the area on motorcycles as police officers watched.

Caroline Chepkoech said the officers could not control the youths.

According to the locals, eight cows stolen last Friday from Olenguruone fuelled the latest clashes after police officers failed to trace them. The officers allegedly barred the locals from pursuing the animals themselves and instead promised to trace and return the cows.

Two days later, the locals decided to pursue the animals on their own. They allegedly stole 60 cows in return when the clash started.

Ms Chepkoech said the national government, through the Ministry of Interior, should intervene and end the clashes.

Rift Valley Regional Coordinator Mongo Chimwanga, in a brief, said it was difficult to handle the clashes as some of them erupted spontaneously.

However, he said enough police officers had been deployed to the area.

Mr Chimwanga said the curfew in Nessuit would be extended to parts of Olposimoru.

The Narok county commissioner said the area had few police officers at their stations and added that he would propose to the national government to an Anti-Stock Theft Unit (ASTU) be stationed in the area.

The ASTU officers, Mr Natembeya said, would be responsible for pursuing and handling cases of cattle theft.