FIVE KILLED, FOUR MISSING AFTER CATTLE RAID IN MARSABIT

Members of the Gabbra community living along the Kenya-Ethiopia border at Dukana with their livestock. A raid by cattle rustlers Wednesday left five people dead while 12 are nursing their wounds at Dukana Hospital. Four other people were reported missing. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP 

By LUCAS BARASA

Five people were killed while four were reported missing Wednesday following a cattle rustling attack in North Horr, Marsabit County.

Another 12 people were injured in the attack.

County Commissioner Peter Thuku said the attack involved the Gabbra and Dasaanach communities at Buluku.

Speaking to the Nation by phone on Wednesday night, Mr Thuku said security personnel received reports of the attack earlier in the day and that they were combing the bushy area in search of the bandits.

“The bandits wanted to steal cows during the incident but got some resistance resulting to the killing of five people.

"The incident occurred some 12 kilometres from Buluku. Reports of the attack were delayed due to lack of proper communication,” Mr Thuku said.

12 RECUPERATING IN HOSPITAL

Mr Thuku said 12 people who were injured were recuperating at Dukana Hospital.

The commissioner said the vast county has been calm “except for this incident.”

In the past communities in the county fought over pasture and water for their livestock.

“We now have rain but some people want to restock through theft,” Mr Thuku said.

Mr Thuku said security in the county has been restored after the Dukana incident and patrols intensified.

A combined force of General Service Unit, regular and Administration Police has been deployed to Dukana to ensure security.

“I have also addressed meetings and urged locals to remain calm and communities to respect each other,” Mr Thuku said.

Marsabit is Kenya’s largest county with 78,000 square kilometres but is often faced with perennial conflicts.

It is inhabited by 14 different communities.

The conflicts had however reduced in the last nine months.

UN AGENCIES IN PECAE INITIATIVE

A number of United Nations (UN) agencies have also joined hands to help ensure lasting peace in the county.

United Nations Centre for Regional Development Africa office coordinator Asfaw Kumssa and International Organisation for Migration head of crisis response unit Sharif Ahmed said they will focus on poverty reduction, conflict management and peace building.

Also involved in four year programme are UNHCR, UNDP, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and the Kenya Red Cross.

Mr Kumssa and Mr Ahmed said since conflicts in Kenya usually spill over from neighbouring Ethiopia, the Orma regional government and Inter-Governmental Authority on Development will also be involved in the peace efforts.

PROVIDE TECHNICAL SUPPORT

Through the International Communities’ Support to Marsabit County, a joint initiative of peace and development, the UN agencies are to provide technical support to the county to achieve peace and development.

They are to further help establish industries and projects with long term impact to help reduce poverty and provide the mainly pastoralist communities with alternative sources of living.

The officials noted that scarcity of water and pasture were the main sources of conflict in Marsabit.

They also regretted that the county has been marginalised for a long time.

The UN agencies officials added that they are working on cross border development projects to reduce conflicts along the Kenya-Ethiopia border

“We need to improve the income of the people,” said Mr Ahmed.

CREDIT SOURCE: NMG