A newly married woman and a 10-year-old boy were yesteday killed by suspected Borana bandits in Modogashe, Garissa county.
The two were shot dead in different areas by the militants who escaped. A Kenya Police Reserve unit officer, who was dressed in AP uniform, was among the raiders. He was killed in the operation.
Clashes between the Somali and the Borana have claimed hundreds of lives in the dispute over the border and control of resources.
Garissa county commissioner Joshua Chepchieng said security has been enhanced in the area and neighboring settlements.
Lagdera MP Hire Mohamed condemned the killings when he addressed residents of Modogashe town in a highly charged meeting.
"When such ugly incidents happen, as a leader, I don’t know what to tell my people, who believe there is a government that should protect them,” Hire said.
He said his constituents are peace -loving and are not the aggressors. He said their neighbours from Isiolo had taken that for weakness.
On Sunday, leaders from Garissa led by governor Ali Korane threatened to arm locals, accusing the government of doing little to protect them.
This was after two people were shot dead by suspected bandits.
The leaders accused Isiolo MP Abdi Koropu of inciting residents and wondered why he had not yet been arrested, despite being captured on camera allegedly inciting his constituents.
Koropu, has, however, defended himself on numerous occassions against the accusations, and instead accused the residents of Lagdera of being the aggressors.
Garissa county peace secretary Hassan Osman, speaking separately, said the vicious cycle of conflicts in Isiolo and Garissa counties must be put to an end.
"The murder and stealing of livestock is no longer tenable. Security organs, the respective communities and the leadership must come back to sanity and respect human life,"
Osman said.