Police have managed to restore order along the Garissa-Mwingi Road after a prolonged standoff caused by recent clashes between two communities. The unrest had led to vehicles being halted at Ukasi in Kitui County.
Tensions have been high between the Akamba and Somali communities in the area due to recent clashes that resulted in deaths, injuries, and livestock theft. At least five people from both sides have been killed in the past week.
On Sunday afternoon, the road section was blocked as armed youths wielding machetes, bows, and arrows barricaded it, threatening to attack passengers and set vehicles on fire. The youths were protesting the arrest of Nguni MCA Jeremiah Mutua, who was apprehended on Sunday afternoon while heading to a church service in Miuni village.
He was forcibly taken away in an unmarked Land Cruiser, causing panic among passengers and road users.
Osman Mohamed, a conductor with Ryan Bus, told the Star over the phone that police had restored normalcy in the area. “Unlike the previous day when the road was barricaded, traffic is now flowing freely. The situation is much better. I hope the government addresses the issue swiftly before it escalates,” he said.
Abdi Haji, a passenger traveling from Nairobi to Garissa, described the terrifying experience. “As we tried to navigate past the stones blocking the road, the armed youths threatened to smash the vehicle’s windscreen, forcing the driver, who was a non-local, to plead with them. He told us to close the windows and lock the vehicle while he begged them,” Haji said.
“You can’t imagine how terrified we were. We only felt relieved when a police Land Cruiser arrived and dispersed the violent youths,” he added.
Speaking to the Star on the phone, Nguni Assistant County Commissioner Ali Chirea confirmed that the MCA had been arrested by NCIC officials over allegations of incitement related to the clashes between the two communities.
“Yesterday we held a meeting with the locals at Ukasi. We were able to speak with the residents who were protesting the arrest of their MCA. I can confirm that calm has been restored,” he said.
Over the past three years, the Somali herders and the Akamba community have been involved in sporadic clashes that have resulted in multiple deaths. The Akamba community accuses the herders—who migrated to Kitui County in search of water and pasture—of encroaching on their farms.
Meanwhile, the herders have reported theft and injuries inflicted on their livestock, leading to ongoing skirmishes.
In response to the recent tensions along the Tana River County and Kitui border, the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) condemned the violence on Friday and called for an immediate end to it. According to the Commission, the conflict in Mandongoi, Kyuso Sub County, has led to deaths, injuries, and livestock theft between the neighboring communities.
NCIC Chairman Samuel Kobia condemned the violence and extended condolences to the affected families. He also urged residents of Kitui and Tana River counties to avoid actions that could exacerbate the situation.
