Leaders cry foul as State disarms KPR in Volatile Saku, Marsabit County

War of words has started in volatile Marsabit County after a section of Kenya Police Reservists (KPR) in Saku Constituency was asked to surrender their weapons for inspection.

The County Security Committee led by County Commissioner Gilbert Kitiyo and County Police Commander Wachira Mathenge said they moved to take the rifles and ammunition from the KPR for ‘normal inspection’ but their decision has sparked off a major uproar from some elected leaders in the county.

The move, follows the latest clashes pitting Borana against the Gabra that left three people dead and five injured mid last month.

‘‘This is a normal procedure, we did not disarm them but it’s routine procedure to inspect their weapons,’’ said the administrator in response to why one side was called to his office for the exercise.

The security personnel, sources said are concerned that clashes between the two dominant sides that had left over 100 dead and thousands displaced after the 2013 elections do not recur again.

In 2013, Cabinet Secretary, Ukur Yattani from Gabra marshaled other minority communities to defeat his rival to capture the Governor’s seat against the former Moyale MP Muhamud Ali.

Mr Ali was later appointed as the Chairman of the National Hospital Insurance Fund.

In last year’s election, Ali of Jubilee Party beat the ex-Governor to take over the County leadership after making in roods into his turf. Mr Yattani, who vied on Frontier Alliance Party where he is the national chairman and the outfit allied to the ruling party, was appointed later as CS for Labour and Social Security by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

In 2013, the majority Borana who lost all key elective positions were allegedly blamed for the clashes that led to more than 100 killed in the hotspots of Moyale and Saku.

The National Government had also vowed to dissolve the County administration through Deputy President William Ruto in 2014 but later shelved it.

This time around the security personnel, sources from Intelligence source confided are the losers in 2017 elections are keen to go the same way.

On Friday, Sora Katelo, the MCA for Sagante-Jaldesa Ward, however differed with the security team claiming they disarmed Borana home guards and left out the Gabra rivals who had clashed mid-month.

‘‘The KPRs from Saku Constituency come from villages occupied by the various tribes but when the security committee, under disguise of gun inspections disarm one side means, that one community is exposed to external attacks,’’ said a Marsabit County official who sought anonymity for security reasons.

Marsabit County Assembly Majority Leader Halkano Ali Friday said the county leaders would petition the Inspector General of Police (IG) Joseph Boinett when he visits Saku on Saturday.

The County Commissioner denied that he was being used by one side of the protagonist to inspect KPR weapons.

Last month’s clashes paralysed transport between Marsabit town and Moyale where the security personnel including the army had to escort buses to the border town. Some bus companies pulled out of the route for fear of attacks.