One person killed in Kisii-Maasai border flare-up

A moran keeps guard in a private sugarcane plantation that was torched at Shankoe in Transmara East. [Photo/ Denish Ochieng.]

TRANS MARA: One person has been killed as a flare-up between the Maasai and Kisii communities went on, defying appeals for calm.

Two houses were torched and a joint security meeting disrupted Thursday in the ongoing conflict at the border between Trans Mara and Kisii counties.

The security meeting that was taking place at Kilgoris sub-County was interrupted when a group of youths said to be from the Maasai community burnt a house on the Kisii side, prompting retaliatory attempts.

The victim was shot on Wednesday at Kiango shopping centre.

Kinyenya OCPD Leonard Baina confirmed the death, saying security officers were trying to calm the situation.

The chaos started on Saturday after being triggered by cattle rustling.

Security personnel from the two sides held separate meetings Thursday, ahead of today's joint peace meeting planned for Kiango shopping centre.

Trans Mara West Deputy County Commissioner Abdi Jubat and his Kenyenya counterpart Grace Auma urged the wrangling youths to stop fighting.

"We have held several security meetings between the two communities to come up with a lasting solution at tomorrow's (Friday) joint peace meeting. It is unfortunate that the youths from the two sides have resorted to war," said Mr Jubat.

He revealed that two people have also been injured and 20 acres of a sugar cane plantation burnt in the conflict.

Elders from from the two communities called for dialogue to end the chaos.

Kisii elder Ondari Okemwa said the political leaders from the two sides should also join the peace effort to end the row.

"We are planning to meet as elders from the two communities to end the clashes," he said, and invited Kisii Governor James Ongwae and his Narok counterpart Samwel Tunai to a reconciliation meeting at the border.