Kenya: 9 killed amid intercommunal conflicts

By Magdalene Mukami

NAIROBI, Kenya (AA) – Four children are among nine people killed Tuesday night in an attack in northwestern Kenya amid a rash of communal conflicts.

Police in Baringo county confirmed the attack early Wednesday, adding that additional police have been deployed to the area to provide more security and flush out the attackers who are terrorizing residents.

Kenya’s Interior Minister Joseph Nkaisserry blamed the situation on a regional drought in Baringo and Laikipia counties triggering inter-communal conflicts between pastoralists and ranchers. The communities' scrambling for water and pasture has led to the invasion of private ranches and violence.

The traditional approach of sharing water and pastures between the ranchers and the pastoralists has broken down, triggering conflict.

On Tuesday two women in a police vehicle were shot and killed in the same area, and last week at least 10 people were killed in intercommunal violence in the area.

Also Tuesday the attackers torched houses and shops in the village of Makutani and barricaded roads to hinder the police from reaching the area. Several villagers were injured in the night raid, and hundreds of Makutani village locals are fleeing the area.

Also confirming the incident, Mukutani Member of County Assembly (MCA) Renson Barkei said that some locals who were injured during the night were rushed to Kabarnet County Referral Hospital in Baringo County.

“Disarmament operations and voluntary surrender of illegal firearms have been intensified to mop up illegal guns. The government has declared Baringo and Laikipia Counties disturbed areas in order to raise the level of security response,” he added.