Tension remains high in Ololoipangi, Narok South subcounty, after three people were seriously injured following a fresh flare up of violence between two warring communities on Friday night.
Narok county police commander Thomas Ngeiywa said violence started when one cow was stolen by cattle rustlers, which prompted the other community to attack.
The victims sustained arrow and spear injuries during the dawn attacks and were rushed to Ololunga Subcounty Hospital.
The affected villages are Ololoipangi, Nkoben and Oloruasi.
“It was around 10pm when tension intensified after the locals raised the alarm following the loss of the cow. That made them arm themselves and violence erupted between the two communities,” Ngeiywa said.
He said police are looking for suspects.
“We have deployed heavy security and increased patrols to ensure normalcy returns to the troubled area,” Ngeiywa said.
He appealed to the communities to embrace peace, noting that only peaceful co-existence can stir development in the area.
Three months ago, the areas bordering the Maasai Mau forest that are inhabited by the two communities experienced chaos.
The government was forced to employ a contingent of security officers in Nkoben, Olenguruone, Olposimoru and Nkarretta areas area in Narok North and South subcounty where scores of people were killed, more than 50 people left nursing injuries, while hundreds of houses were torched.
The fight triggered Rift Valley regional commissioner Chimwaga Mongo to visit the area where he put a dusk-to-dawn curfew.
But during Jamhuri Day celebrations in Narok Stadium on Wednesday, Narok County Commissioner George Natembeya announced that the curfew has been lifted after peace returned to the area.
He said there were people who benefited from tribal clashes and fueled chaos by spreading propaganda through social media.
“People spread propaganda that leads to hatred between the two communities living here so that they can gain from the chaos. I advise you not to be swayed by such hatred rumours because they are fueled by a few people,” he said.