More than 150 families who were displaced following clashes at Sondu on the Kericho and Kisumu border have received food donations from the Inter-religious Council of Kenya.
The families are camping at St Paul’s ACK church after their homes were torched and livestock stolen during the clashes early this month.
Seven people were killed and several others injured during the skirmishes. The donations included maize flour, sugar and cooking oil among others items to enable the families to continue with their lives.
Kericho Catholic Diocese Bishop Alfred Rotich, Kericho ACK Bishop Ernest Ng’eno and National Chairman of the Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims chairman Hassan Ole Naado visited the families and preached peace.
Salem Ministries International Bishop Pheobe Onyango and Miracle and Wonders Churches Kenya –Nyanza region Bishop Harnington Okoth were also present.
“We are here to condole with the mothers and fathers, the children and the youths who are mourning today. We require collective responsibility to restore peace and unity in the area,” Bishop Rotich said.
He condemned the violence at Sondu which have claimed lives and seen property destruction.
“We should not use violence for our selfish gains. We want to sit down together and find solutions," Rotich said.
He said the community living at the border should live in peace and unity because they share a common market and other social amenities.
He lauded those hosting the displaced families and pledged that religious leaders will ensure Sondu becomes a hub for peace.
Bishop Rotich noted that the communities have been trading in Sondu time immemorial and should shun violence and embrace dialogue during conflicts.
The cleric urged politicians from Kericho and Kisumu to be part of a peace initiative amongst the community for the betterment and socio-economic development.
“We are the ones who make peace, help us maintain it for us. Our youths should calm down and shun violence. You cannot solve a problem through violence,” Rotich said.
Okoth called for peaceful coexistence among the neighbouring communities.
“We have come to condole and pray with the affected families who lost their loved ones during the skirmishes,” he said.
He said without peace there would be no meaningful development in the area.
“When there is no peace our children cannot go to school and residents would be unable to go on with their socio-economic activities,” Okoth said.
Residents have demanded that the state establishes a GSU camp at Sondu to help prevent the perennial skirmishes at the border.
Nyakach division peace chairman Sabinus Matinde said elders from the two counties should hold a peace campaign to end the conflicts.
A resident at Sondu, Mustafa Mohammed, called for peace and unity saying the constant violence was derailing them on matters of development.
He told the government to address the border dispute once and for all to enable residents move on with their lives peacefully.
Another resident Belinda Awino said the government should heighten security along the border to prevent deaths and destruction of property.
“Every time there are conflicts at the border we are camping at St Paul ACK church without security. We want the government to deploy enough security to maintain law and order in the area,” she said.
