Clashes erupt at disputed Isiolo, Meru counties border

By ALI ABDI

Isiolo County: Inter-clan clashes have erupted in areas claimed by both Isiolo and Meru counties.

The clashes have so far left scores injured, a 20-year-old woman raped, a 13-year-old girl defiled and an elderly man missing.

The conflict occurred after members of the Borana and Somali communities embarked on dividing the land between 78 Tank Battalion and Gambella yesterday morning among themselves.

Four people sustained panga cuts with two being in critical condition. On Sunday, a man was injured near Chumvi while another was attacked and injured ten days ago in the same area.

Isiolo County Commissioner Wanyama Musiambo confirmed four injuries and the rape and defilement incidents. Security personnel from both Isiolo and Meru were deployed to patrol areas along the Isiolo-Modogashe road, where parts of the disputed areas are located.

Meanwhile, the national government departments in Isiolo have given out detailed reports to the Isiolo County government that show residents in disputed areas with Meru have been getting services from them.

The heads of departments were summoned by an ad hoc committee formed by the Isiolo County Assembly three weeks ago to look into the border dispute with neighbouring Meru.

The departments —  Water and Irrigation, the National Drought Management Authority (NDMA), Education, National Registration of Persons, Registrar of Births and Deaths, the Provincial Administration and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) — all submitted reports showing the affected areas got services from Isiolo.

The departments of Water and Irrigation, Agriculture and NDMA stated that all wells and boreholes and furrow irrigation had been undertaken through Isiolo since independence.

“The former Arid Lands also existed in Meru North but it’s Isiolo that rehabilitated the Gambella Spring and set up a small irrigation scheme,” said a report from NDMA.

It also emerged that the locals have been acquiring their national identity cards, birth and death certificates from Isiolo, and are registered as voters in Isiolo.

“Three quarters of Ngaremara Ward is now claimed by Meru and yet under IEBC, the area falls in Isiolo North Constituency,” said a preliminary report from the committee.

From 2003, the locals interviewed by the committee said they got development projects and bursaries through Isiolo North CDF and not Tigania East.