Ethnic clashes leave 8 killed over land dispute in Bangale, Tana River county
The spotlight has been beamed towards the Interrior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki and the Inspector General of the National Police Service (IGP) Douglas Kanja to contain the mounting wave of deadly ethnic clashes linked land dispute in Bangale sub county that has so far left at least eight people dead.
The massacre of the eight people occurred between Friday October 5, 2024 and yesterday bringing the death toll in the troubled parts of Tana River county to 12 in the last two weeks only as tension still remains high.
The skirmishes that have escalated to several villages started last week have seen the warring communities use firearms, bows, and arrows with security officers struggling to contain them.
Many locals have been displaced in the conflict, police said adding the victims are sheltering in schools and other public amenities in the area.
According to police, four of the people were killed in Nanighi, two at KBC grounds and two at Anole area.
The killings happened on Thursday, Friday and today, police said adding they fear there will be deadly retaliations.
The first incident was ignited by squabbles at a watering point in Anole between two communities which led to the shooting of Said Maliu aged 75 and Juma Mohammed aged 35, police said.
The skirmishes escalated to the KBC area where the flood victims had settled recently and a village elder Daud Shora aged 58 was shot four times and died on the spot.
Bangale Police Commander Ephraim Karani confirmed the killings and assured the aggrieved families that justice would be served.
He said tensions escalated on Friday as the two communities clashed over the land dispute.
Karani added that the situation could have been worse without the urgent intervention of security personnel in the Anole area, where schoolchildren and teachers, who were targeted for a retaliatory attack by one of the warring communities, were rescued.
He said police already have the names of individuals possessing illegal firearms adding that it was a matter of time before they are arrested.
Tension remains high in the affected villages as police intensify patrols.
There was drama at Madogo police station in Tana River County on Friday afternoon when members from one community stormed the station demanding for immediate arrest of perpetrators who shot and killed three people in Anole and KBC areas.
Residents are now demanding the arrest of individuals in possession of illegal firearms.
They also accused some politicians of being behind the killings by secretly inciting some communities against each other.
Last month, at least 3 people were shot dead by unknown assailants in IDP camp in the area.
The clashes come a week after five political leaders from Tana River County were summoned to appear before the National Cohesion and Integration Commission on October 8 over incitements linked to clashes between communities in neighbouring Tana River and Kitui counties.
