Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Sondu TOWN.
Five people are believed to have died following three days of fresh ethnic flare up along the boundaries of Nyanza and Rift Valley Provinces in Western Kenya.
Tension has remained high for the last two weeks when youth from the Kipsigis community in Keriho West district crossed the border and launched what appeared a well coordinated, but surprise attacks against several villages on the Luo side of the border and torched several dwelling houses and property on unknown values.
The latest skirmishes began last Friday night when unknown men believed to be the Kipsigis youth attacked Peter Okango at Ngege village in Koguta East and hacked him to death using machetes.
The two communities shared the common borders between Kericho and Nyakach districts. Cattle rustling has been so rampant along the common borders separating the the Kalenjin and the Luos.
On Saturday morning at about 9 AM. close to 100 youth armed with crude weapons grouped along the main Kisumu – Kisii road and launched fresh attack on villages located in Kndaria and Jimo east and speared one man to death. The sparked off what looked like the retaliatory attack by Luo youth from Nyakach. The police moved in and disposed the two hostile crowds of combatants standing on both sides of the road while facing each other.
The presence of the armed youth on both sides of the road had caused the blockade of the main road and no vehicles were allowed to pass from either side during the best part of Saturday morning. Motorists driving on this route were forced to use alternative routes.
Nyakach District Commissioner Chaybgy Mwachaung visited the scene and urged the combatant to disperse and maintain peace. The police ordered the youth back to their side of the border, but not very long the combatants were seen to have re-grouped immediately the police left the scene.
Residents of Nyakach, however, have blamed the police for doing nothing and incapable of quelling the riotous youth. They said the police appeared to be biased on Luos while appeared to be protecting the aggressive Kalenjin youth. The Inspector General of the police Kimayio I a Kalenjiin and so is the Deputy President William Ruto is also a Kalenjin.
The latest flared up only came three days after security teams from both side had held an inter-counties meeting to discus the situation and find the lasting peaceful solution.
The residents of Nyakach further alleged that an innocent and a non-combatant man was killed in Jimo East in the presence of heavily armed police officers who did not act and appeared to be biased in favour of the Kalenjin yourh.
Two months ago, unknown assailants killed the parents of Nyaka M Aduma Owuor and burnt the family house. The region is prone to crimes waves which are mostly aggravated by cattle rustling. The Nyakach residents have called for the immediate deployment of the Crack para-military police unit, the General Services Unit {GSU}[commonly called Majohnie to protect the lives and property by mopping up all the criminal’s hideouts on both sides of the border.
ENDS