Renewed violence in Tana Delta leaves 13 more dead

By Paul Gitau

Raiders attacked Tana Delta District yet again and killed 13 people, leaving residents shaken.

The attack at Chamwanamuma area is linked to the conflict between Orma and Pokomo tribes; coming two weeks after 52 were killed in an orgy of violence in the area.

On Friday’s violence involved the abduction of women and children and none of the attackers was killed after two hours of gunfire between them and the police.

The attackers fled across the River Tana and stole hundreds of cattle. “The raiders wore military uniform, including boots,” said Tana Delta DC David Kiprop, who added hundreds of raiders armed with AK 47 and G3 rifles also carried spears.

Garsen MP Danson Mungatana, in whose constituency the killings occurred, accused the Government of abandoning Kiprop at his hour of need, adding the State had failed the local District Security Committee.

Warring tribes

Mr Mungatana, who was preparing to host marathon athlete Tegla Loroupe who campaign against ethnic violence in the North Rift, said the Government should forcefully disarm the warring tribes to achieve peace.

But Galole MP Dadho Godhana, who is locked in a war of words with Acting Internal Security Minister Yusuf Haji, claimed the latest attack was planned in North Eastern Province.

According to the Tana Delta DC, the raiders were about 300.

A survivor of the violence Omar Mugeni, who was evacuated to Ngao District Hospital with three bullets lodged in his legs, said of the raid that started at 5am: “I was awakened by gunshots to discover our village had been surrounded. When I tried to confront one of the attackers, I was shot three times in the legs.”

Omar says he survived by hiding in the ceiling of his house after playing dead to escape being shot.

On the edge

Hamisi Hiribae, another survivor who is a Kenya Police Reservist, said the village, which has been on edge since the recent wave of killings, could not withstand on Friday’s raiders who wore military uniform but without helmets or berets.

“I was on duty when I heard gunshots. They tried to trick us in order to deflect our attention,” said Hamisi, adding the attackers must have known the strength and position of the eight reservists.

“We battled them until we ran out of ammunition and I was shot four times in the legs and hands,” he added. The two survivors spoke to The Standard On Saturday from Ngao District Hospital in Tarasaa Location as doctors prepared to flee the medical institution fearing a possible raid by attackers believed to be pursuing 10 survivors hospitalised there.

It is believed Friday’s attack in which a woman, 70, was burnt and three others shot was a revenge attack on the Pokomo.

The latest raid occurred less than two kilometres from the newly established Semikaro police post.

The two warring tribes live in Tana Delta and have been competing for limited resources and harbour cultural, political and economic differences. According to security sources and eyewitnesses, 65 houses were burnt and eight women and children abducted by the raiders.

Godhana, who spoke to the press on the sidelines of an MPs’ meeting in Mombasa, claimed the attackers were dressed in military fatigues as Mungatana blamed the killings on a well trained militia.

 Dr Badru Muhaji, who is the District Medical Officer of Health at Ngao Hospital, said 10 survivors were admitted to the institution with bullet injuries but one had been speared.