We'll deal with bloody conflicts with herders for good – Malombe

Kitui security chiefs are working behind the scenes for a lasting solution to the bloody conflicts between farmers and encroaching herders from neighbouring counties.

The herders last week killed Mutuku Mwango in Mutha and slit his throat after resisting the herders from grazing their camels on his farm.

A month ago,  a 16-year-old pupil at Kalambani Primary School in Mutha was also killed by the violent herders.

Kitui Governor Julius Malombe on Wednesday said authorities were engaged in behind-the-scene measures to end the fatal conflicts.

The herders are believed to be from Tana River, Garissa and Wajir.

Malombe's comments were prompted by a request by Kitui county assembly speaker Kevin Katisya who asked for liaison with the county commissioner Erastus Mbui for a lasting solution.

Katisya said MCAs were concerned about the killing of innocent people by camel herders.

MCAs last Tuesday suspended all assembly business to discuss a motion on the killings.

“On the issue of insecurity, especially in Mutha particularly where one of our people lost their lives I can tell you we are seized of that matter,”  Malombe said.

“So we are looking at that matter. It is only that on matters of security, sometimes we are advised not to talk about them in public but act quietly.”

He said the county commissioner had already taken firm action.

“We want this problem solved once and for all. We have a whole plan on what should be done so that it is solved sustainably,” he said.

He said both medium and long-term measures were being exploited.

He said he had also reached out to his counterpart in Tana River and a meeting would be held to address the matter.

He however said the aggressive camel herders were not people from the neighbouring Tana River.

“We hear they are from other counties in this country,” Malombe said.

He said that the herders had the knack of becoming extremely aggressive once they are stopped from grazing on people's farms.

Katisya said the MCAs were ready to come up with a motion that would give the legal push to resolving the incessant killings in areas that are occasionally invaded by the camel herders.

“If you need any input from the assembly because some of these things need some input, we may have to come up with a motion and pass it so that we push the national government to address issues affecting our people,” he said.

Edited by Kiilu Damaris