Deputy county commissioners Mercho Maina and Wesley Koech urge elected leaders to support their peace efforts and stop incitement
The government will involve elders to end conflicts between communities in Trans Mara West and Kuria East subcounties.
Trans Mara West deputy county commissioner Mericho Maina and his Kuria East counterpart Wesley Koech urged all elected leaders in the two subcounties to support peace efforts in the volatile areas.
Many people have been killed and property worth millions of shillings destroyed in clashes.
Maina and Koech chaired a meeting in Kegonga town, Kuria East, on Thursday.
“We would like to appeal to members of the Maasai, Kuria and Kipsigis communities who live on this border not to allow a few individuals in their midst to cause bloodshed for their own selfish interests,” Maina said.
The two administrators, who were transferred to the subcounties last month, said they will work closely with all parties to ensure no violence occurs under their watch.
“We all have a role to play in ensuring the communities live in harmony. The government will to do its part, while we ask members of the communities to play their roles,” Koech said.
The duo said the government has deployed General Service Unit and Anti-Stock Theft Unit officers on the border areas to arrest the few individuals out to cause chaos.
The Maasai, Kipsigis and Kuria communities have been in conflict over land and stock theft for many years.
Revenge attacks have worsened the situation, with criminal elements across the communities taking advantage of unrest to carry out their illegal activities.
In February, a five-kilometre buffer zone was created on the border of the two subcounties to prevent fresh clashes.
Trans Mara West police boss Alfred Muthua said the move was aimed at defusing tension that had been building up between members of the Maasai and Kuria communities.
This was after a 45-year-old man was killed by unknown individuals. Naiguran Tereu had four gunshot wounds on his stomach and hand. His body also bore several deep panga cuts.
Muthua said the man was attacked while heading home at around 8pm after a drinking spree.
He was with his brother-in-law, Jackson Paramisia.
“On reaching Masurura Bridge, they were ambushed by a group of heavily armed people,” Muthua said.
“They started running away. Unfortunately, Tereu was shot dead.” Muthua said the man’s brother-in-law escaped unhurt.
Residents suspect there was a grudge between the man and members of the other community.
Buffer zone created to avert clashes in Kuria, Trans Mara boundary
In February, a five-kilometre buffer zone was created on the border of Kuria East and Trans Mara West subcounties to prevent fresh clashes. Trans Mara West police boss Alfred Muthua said the move was aimed at defusing tension that had been building up between members of the Maasai and Kuria communities. The hostilities had been sparked by the killing of a man from the Trans Mara West side.
Muthua said members of both communities had been ordered not to cross the border to avert further retaliatory attacks. He said the directive would remain in force until calm is restored. The police boss said security had been increased on the volatile border, with a contingent of security officers patrolling the area day and night. Officers are from the regular unit, the Administration Police, Anti-Stock Theft Unit, the Rapid Deployment Unit and the General Service Unit.