Kuria West police boss Cleti Kimaiyo said police in the area have sought reinforcement from Migori county headquarters to maintain peace in the border town.
“We are on high alert and have called for reinforcement as tension is still high in the town, we are engaging local leaders and community members on restoring calm,” Kimaiyo said.
Most shops were closed as lorries and vehicles trying to access neighbouring Tanzania chose to use alternative routes as youths vowed to stage fresh demos.
Migori county commander Mark Wanjala, Migori Deputy Governor Mahiri Gimunta, Kehancha Municipal Board chair Matiko Bohoko and several other leaders held meetings on Friday to calm the tension.
“We will maintain peace and even on Monday we had a similar meeting to bring calm,” Wanjala said.
On Thursday, police reports said five people were shot dead when a funeral procession of a trader invaded Isebania police station.
From morning as the body of trader Moses Mwangi was supposed to leave St Akidiva Mindira Hospital in Mabera centre about 30 kilometres away from the town, youths were engaging police in running battles.
The group is said to have threatened to burn down the police station and remove several suspects arrested over the death and lynch them.
At about 1630hrs, the group in the funeral procession is said to have moved inside the station and overrun it there before they were dispersed.
A police report said the group was armed with matches and pangas and in the melee, Idi Mwijuma a police officer manning the armoury, was injured in the eye and sustained other injuries.
Kimaiyo said police are yet to arrest any suspects over the Thursday incident but are following three ring leaders who organised the youths in storming the Isebania police station.
Migori Civic Organisations officially wrote to Independent Policing Oversight Authority to express the serious and ongoing concerns about incidents related to police conduct in Isebania town.
The group said the incident should be investigated as police version of invasion in the station should be checked.
“This incident comes against the background of a seriously deteriorating security situation in Isebania with almost daily reports of robberies and several murders,” Omole Opinya, an officer of Rapado Kenya said.
The group said post mortem examination on the four bodies taken to local mortuaries should be done and investigations done over the incident.
Last Sunday, Isebania town was a no go zone as youths barricaded road leading to Tanzania taking police in running battles late into the night completely paralysing activities at the busy border crossing.
-Edited by SKanyara
