Isiolo residents pulled down Meru County signboards in border row

What you need to know:

  • They claimed Gadisa was part of Isiolo and therefore Meru County had no right to erect their signboards there.
  • One of the residents, John Ebei Emoria said they would not tolerate Meru county’s activities on their land.
  • The two counties have been embroiled in a long-standing border dispute since 2014, with leaders from both counties calling for a speedy resolution of the wrangles.
  • Both counties have laid claim to Ilat, where the Isiolo County government has erected a tax-collection point.

A border row pitting Meru and Isiolo counties took a new twist on Wednesday after irate Isiolo residents pulled down signboards erected by Meru County at Gadisa.

They claimed Gadisa was part of Isiolo and therefore Meru County had no right to erect their signboards there.

The residents destroyed and carted away the signboard inscribed “Welcome to Meru County, the last green frontier” and “Meru county, the place to invest and live” to their county headquarters.

One of the residents, John Ebei Emoria said they would not tolerate Meru county’s activities on their land.

He claimed authorities in Isiolo remained quiet as their counterparts in Meru continued to encroach on their land.

"Our leaders are doing nothing while watching our own land being grabbed by greedy individuals. We will not allow Meru County to invade our property," said Mr Emoria.

Isiolo county leaders are expected to issue a statement on Wednesday’s events.

The two counties have been embroiled in a long-standing border dispute since 2014, with leaders from both counties calling for a speedy resolution of the wrangles.

REMOVED ILAT ROADBLOCK

Aggression between the two counties over the border point heightened 2014 when officials from Meru County removed a roadblock erected by their Isiolo counterparts at Ilat.

Meru Governor Peter Munya was then touring the Nyambene National Reserve with his officials.

Isiolo residents reacted by attacking Mr Munya’s convoy near Sarova Shaba Game Reserve, injuring a driver.

Both counties have laid claim to Ilat, where the Isiolo County government has erected a tax-collection point.

Isiolo residents, who were with their governor, Godana Doyo, also destroyed police barriers and makeshift shelters used by officers in the disputed area.

Mr Doyo reassembled the roadblock that had earlier been removed at Shika Adabu.

Mr Doyo has accused Meru County of charging people from his county high levies on milk and other livestock products at the Gambela roadblock, but Mr Munya blamed the frosty relationships between the two counties on delays in demarcating the border.

During his visit to Meru last week, President Uhuru Kenyatta said the government would resolve the border dispute between Meru and Isiolo counties believed to fuel insecurity along the common border.

He said National Government surveyors will work with those from both Meru and Isiolo counties to hasten the demarcation of the border.