Calm returns in Narok after weekend ethnic violence that injured 15

Residents at Ololoipang'i in Narok South.One person was killed and five injured in renewed clashes. [Robert Kiplagat]

Calm returned in volatile villages in Narok South Sub-County as local leaders call on the security agencies to crack the whip on the perpetrators behind the ethnic violence that left one dead, 15 injured and 25 houses torched.

The ethnic skirmishes that broke out over the weekend is said to have allegedly been triggered by a stolen cow affected three villages;Ololoipang’i,Oloruasi and Nkoben villages.

Area County Police Commander Thomas Ngeiywa said confirmed that no incident was reported for the last one day but reiterated that the security personnel deployed in the area shall continue conducting the normal patrols in the affected area.

“The area is now calm.People are back to their daily chores but we are not taking anything to chance until we make sure that complete normalcy is realized,”the police boss told The Standard.

On Sunday this week,area County Commissioner George Natembeya imposed a dawn to dusk curfew in the area as a measure to curb the runaway clashes.

Mr Natembeya also directed local chiefs and their assistant to arrest those raising unnecessary alarms through screams especially women thus fueling the chaos.

Local leaders led by Narok Governor Samuel Tunai who spoke at the annual interdenominational church service at Olchorro in Narok North called for tough legal action to be taken against those behind the ethnic violence.

“This is a period of festivities that residents should be enjoying but information that some people are engaging in ethnic violence must stop.We do not want any more bloodshed and security should take a decisive measures to restore calm,”said Governor Tunai.

Governor Tunai also urged the two communities to embrace each other and live harmoniously as they have been living together since time immemorial.

Narok North MP Motalel ole Kenta has also condemned the ongoing violence between the two warring communities and blaming the government for laxity in coming up with tangible solution to the now recurrent matter.

"As one of the are leaders I am concerned by the resurgence of the ethnic violence barely three months after another spate of violence. This is unacceptable and the government should up it's game,"said the legislator.

Mr Kenta has also petitioned the Director of Public Prosecutions(DPP) to order arrests on the masterminds of May forest invasion.