By Mwingi Times Reporter
Camel herders have continued to cause Mwingi
residents sleepless nights, threatening them and grazing camel on their farms,
few weeks after Eastern Regional Commissioner Isaiah Nakoru and his counterpart
from the coast region John Elung’ata met security officials from Kitui and Tana
River counties and elders from the two counties, in a bid to find a lasting
solution to the state of insecurity along the border.
Shockingly, the camel herders never
moved an inch from Kitui even after the meeting which ran across the day. More camels
have been sighted in parts of Kaningo, Masyungwa and Ngomeni in Mwingi north
constituency, with residents forced to flee their homes for fear of attacks.
The residents have been accusing the local
administration of colluding with the camel herders and giving them immunity as
they continue persecuting innocent farmers.
John Musyoka, a local clearly termed
corruption as the major cause of the deadly interrelation for most of security
team officials have been compromised by these pastoralists who are said to have
high government connections.
“Whatever is causing us endless pain is geared
by most of our compromised security officers and when we try to protect our
land by declaring it camel free, some of us are arrested because the bandits
have been issued with grazing permits,” John stated.
John further noted that the guns issued to
National Police Reservists [NPR] are meaningless and should be surrendered back
to the relevant venues for they are of no aid to the suffering society.
Kimanzi, another resident who chairs peace
meetings in the area told area leaders to step down if they have lost the
bandits battle and leave it to the locals for they have had enough of the
menace.
“We have collected over 360 signatures in the
area where majority have condemned the infestation. We are not ready for any
reconciliation and we will not surrender our lands to the intruders,” angry
Kimanzi further stated.
Mary Mwendwa, a lady from Kasiluni painfully
narrated how innocent mothers have been suffering in the bush, some being young
mothers who are still nursing their infants. She said that education has also
been paralyzed as with such state of insecurity nearby schools like Kasiluni
Primary and Mandongoi primary schools have adversely affected as pupils fail to
attend school due to rising insecurity.
Addressing the press moments after the meeting
which took more than six hours, the two regional commissioners had assured
residents living along the border between the two counties of enhanced security
in future, while at the same time urging them to coexist in harmony.
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| Eastern Regional Commissioner Isaiah Nakoru and his counterpart from the coast region John Elung’ata |
Eastern Regional commissioner Isaiah Nakoru
said that they decided to meet all stakeholders in order to restore peace along
the border.
Mr. Nakoru said that elders from the two
counties have been tasked with handling issues of pasture and water which have
been the key causes of conflict, as camel herders and farmers
clash.
“We have established peace committees
comprising of elders from the two counties whom would be handling issues of
water and pasture and ensuring that no intruder comes to disrupt peace in their
areas without their knowledge,” Said Eastern regional Commissioner Mr.
Nakoru.
He also said that all those found illegally
invading farms to grace their camels would be arrested and charged.
“We have also directed security personnel from
the two counties to ensure that any criminal who forcefully grazes their camel in
other people’s farms are arrested and charged, as such kind of behavior
can’t be tolerated any further,” added Mr. Nakoru.
Coast Regional commissioner John Elung’ata
said that their meeting was triggered by directive by Interior CS Dr. Fred
Matiang’i demanding security personnel from the two counties to sit and seek
lasting solution for insecurity along the border between the two counties.
“Our meeting today was triggered by remarks
which were made by the interior CS Dr. Fred Matiang’i when he visited Kitui a
week ago requiring us to meet and solve issues of insecurity along the border,”
stated Mr. Elung’ata.
Mr. Elung’ata said that it was established
that the camel herders who have been the cause of insecurity are
neither from Kitui nor Tana River counties, hence leaders from the two counties
resolved to do their part in ensuring that peace prevails and no camel herders go
through Tana River County to cause mayhem in Kitui.
“During today’s meeting we have been able to
establish that the Camel herders of Somali origin do not
originate from both Kitui or Tana River counties, with some coming from as far
as Wajir and Isiolo counties. It’s owing to this revelation that we have
directed our security personnel to ensure that no one is allowed to enter our
counties without first registering with the relevant authorities,” added the
Coast regional commissioner.
MWINGI TIMES for timely and authoritative news.
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