Detectives in Tana River have launched a manhunt for the gang that killed four people more than 500 cows at Kilelengwani and Kau villages last week. The criminal investigations officers are also looking for those who burnt 110 houses at Kau village leaving families homeless during the clashes between pastoralists and farmers over grazing areas.
''The detectives are already on the ground following crucial leads that will help us arrest those involved in the bloody attacks from both sides,'' said Tana Delta DC David Kiprop. ''We have not been able to receive any illegal firearms from the pastoralists or the farmers. We are expecting to get them after the Idd-Ul-Fitr celebrations,''he said yesterday.
"We are currently pursuing the key suspects who were involved in the attacks that caused bloodshed and those involved shall be arrested soon,'' said the administrator. He said the situation is under control after leaders and the provincial administration negotiations prevailed upon the two groups to cease the hostilities as a solution to the problem is sought.
"Everything is under control now and people are celebrating Idd-Ul-Fitr before we can proceed with the other process of recovering all illegal firearms being possessed by the warring parties,'' said Kiprop. Security personnel are also still on the ground to keep vigil of any threat of attack that could deter any peacefully activities in the zone.
More than 110 families were displaced. A Muslim cleric Muhdhar Badawy called on the two communities to live together peacefully. ''It is shocking to see Muslim brothers who have lived together for a long time fighting at a time when we are supposed to be fasting.''
"We hope they will join other Kenyans in celebrating the Idd despite the loss of lives, cattle and houses, which were burnt during the clashes,'' said Badawy during an interview in Malindi.On Friday evening, a delegation of senior government officials including Coast PC Samuel Kilele, Coast police boss Aggrey Adoli, Provincial CID boss, Ambrose Munyasia, Provincial AP Comandant Jones kavoi, Lamu county commissioner Steve Ikua and Tanariver County Commissioner Joseph rotich together with Garsen MP Danson Mungatana and other leaders from the two communities held a meeting to look for permanent resolution over the matter.
During the meeting it emerged that the conflicts could either be political and contributed by some leaders who incited the two communities for their personal gains. The PC gave them seven days to surrender all guns or else they would launch a major operation to wipe out all illegal firearms that were a threat to peace.
"We want the guns, you have them and if you fail to give them voluntarily and they are there then we shall use force to get them,'' he said. Adoli said a team of new recruits would be dispatched to the ground to calm the situation following the tension that had increased in the area. The entire village of Kau which belongs to farmers was completely burnt down and residents are living in the open makeshifts temporarily for fearing to go back to their homes.
On their part the pastoralists are mourning for the loss of their over 500 cattle heads that were butchered by farmers in a revenge mission after their people were killed. Mungatana urged the government to deploy an OCPD in the area to be able to deal with such clashes easily in future as the situation was worrying.