Bring killers to book say EFP

Economic Freedom Party Chairman at a past function. (George Orido, Standard)

The Economic Freedom Party (EFP) has condemned recent killings in El Wak and has asked for quick arrest and persecution of those involved especially in killing the non-locals in reprisal attacks.

In a statement signed by the party Chairman Issak Abbey Hassan, the party termed the incident unfortunate and an act that could put the loves of so many Somalia living across the country at risk.

“The ugly incidence of a retaliatory attack by the rioters to kill two non-locals at the hospital in reprisal attacks is a dangerous action in the wrong direction,” said the party that has the majority in the Mandera County Assembly.

The party noted that Kenya is for all of us and there is no more local and non-local if we want to change our lives and guarantee a safe and prosperous Kenya for our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

The party warned that such acts were dangerous and would amount to opening a Pandora’s Box and starting a war that can never be won.

“God forbid if relatives and communities of the slain locals would behave the same way and get the wrong direction of hitting back. It will be for us to lose,” they warned.

The party called for restraint and leave matters security to security officials only.

“We condemn all the killings and urge Mandera residents especially form El Wak to keep the peace as the instruments of security get to the root of the problem,” read the statement released to newsrooms.

The party asked Mandera residents and El Wak residents in particular, to take notice that many of their kinsmen are spread all over Kenyan and their action of killing non locals is to expose these hard working diaspora in different Kenyan cities, towns and villages to a major risk.

“We condemn in the strongest terms any plans to divide and antagonize a peace loving people and we ask for the immediate investigations on the people who killed the non-locals so that they may be brought to book,” read the statement.

A week ago, locals turned their anger on non-locals at the Elwak health facility where one of their own had been killed by a stray bullet during riots to protest against the Anti-Stock Theft Police Unit.

Word had it that officers from the unit had picked five members of a family during a security operation but later three of them were found dead.

During the riots, the locals stoned two non-locals to death in reprisal attacks.