Kisii and Narok leaders set for peace meeting

The top leadership of Kisii and Narok counties will hold a meeting this week to resolve escalating cases of cattle rustling that have threatened peace in the region.

Kisii Governor James Ongwae said the meeting, expected to be held in Kiango on the border of the two counties on Tuesday, will be attended by his Narok counterpart Samuel ole Tunai, several MPs, MCAs and other leaders from both Kisii and Maasai communities.

The meeting follows several others held last week to resolve a week-long stand-off between the two communities sparked by the January 3 theft of a cow from Nyabitunwa village in Kisii County by a suspected cattle rustler from Kilgoris.

The theft is said to have infuriated Kisii community members who pursued the rustlers into Shankoi village in Maasai land with crude weapons. The Maasai retaliated.

At least one person was killed in the battle, and five others sustained serious injuries. Some 20 acres of sugar cane plantations and a house were set ablaze.

Kisii County Commissioner Chege Mwangi and Trans Mara West Assistant County Commissioner Jubat Abdi Hakim said at least one person had been arrested and would be taken to court soon. Two suspects are at large.

Yesterday, Mr Ongwae called for restraint between the two communities and asked them to live in harmony.

He said that when the matter came to his attention, he and Mr Tunai agreed to set up a meeting to discuss how to end cattle rustling menace that has dogged the two communities for long.  
“We were to have a meeting last Friday but it was moved to Tuesday this week,” said Mr Ongwae.

INITIAL MEETING

Last week, he sent five MCAs from Bokimonge, Boochi Borabu, Bobamba and Nyacheki wards to hold an initial meeting with counterparts from Trans Mara to resolve the conflict.

“The leaders are in agreement that the stolen cow be paid off. For a while, we thought that after the agreement, the violence would subside. It did so until one young man was shot by police,” added Mr Ongwae.  

On Thursday, Narok County Commissioner Farah Kassim said General Service Unit officers shot dead the youth, accusing him of being among those that attacked their convoy maintaining peace at the porous border.

The commissioner said youths shot one officer, prompting them to open fire.

“We cannot compromise on security issues. We are passing a strong message to anyone who will be spotted with weapons that they will be arrested,” said Mr Kassim.

However, Bobamba East location chief William Muliro described the slain man as a shopkeeper who had closed his business after police dispersed people from Kiango shopping centre, shooting in the air and lobbying teargas cannisters. “He was shot as he ran away,” Mr Muliro said.

Kenyenya district OCPD Leonard Baini defended the police, saying, “the residents were shooting arrows and the police acted in self defence.”

Mr Kassim accused Kisii youth of resorting to violence even after leaders and elders had agreed that the owner of the stolen cow be compensated with Sh60,000.

Early last week, a group of youths from Kenyenya sub-county said they would continue fighting until their cow was returned. Led by Mr Vincent Onsoti Nyang’au, the youths claimed that last year two cows worth more than Sh100,000 were stolen by the Masaai and have not been returned to date, despite various interventions by security forces and elders.

Tension remains high in the region.

Reports by Brian Moseti, Dancun Ageta and George Sayagie