The government has cautioned two warring communities in Bangale and Tana North sub-counties, Tana River County, against violating the 60-day peace agreement reached two weeks ago, which called for the surrender of all illegal firearms.
The ultimatum was reached last week following a visit to Bangale and Madogo by the Coast Regional Commissioner Rhoda Onyancha together with her members of the regional security team following the escalation of conflict between the Orma and the Degodia pastoral communities in Tana River County over pasture and water for their livestock.
According to the Tana River County Commissioner Joseph Mwangi, since the peace agreement came into force, relative calm has prevailed and progress made on the voluntary return of illegal firearms has been progressing well.
However, Mwangi was quick to note that the government will not hesitate to use ‘force’ if any of the two communities violate the peace agreement.
“I am happy to report on the remarkable progress made so far in the past few days regarding the surrender of illegal firearms. I have gotten assurance from the peace committees and elders from the two communities that soon they will be surrendering to the government the firearms they have mopped up,” he said.
The county commissioner was addressing the press in Madogo when he met peace committee members from Bangale and Tana North sub-counties, together with elders from the Orma and Degodia communities, to evaluate the progress made so far in upholding the peace and the challenges they may be facing and how best to address them.
Elders who spoke among them, including Doyo Olow, from the Orma community, said they have taken crucial steps in urging their youth to lay down their arms and embrace peace.
Doyo urged those crossing over from neighbouring counties in search of water and pasture to alert the respective chiefs and other relevant authorities to avoid conflict with the locals.
His Degodia counterpart, Mohamed Amin, said that elders from his community will ‘do all within their powers to ensure the peace is not violated’ because they understand the consequences.
“Let us not give the government reason to carry out forceful disarmament. We shall fully respect and abide by the peace agreement,” Amin said.
On her part, peace committee member Rukia Kuno called on elders from the two sides to preach peace among their communities, noting that many women have been widowed and children left destitute due to communal conflicts.
“It’s women and children who suffer most in times of conflict. I understand what we and our children go through in times of intercommunal conflicts. I also urge our elected leaders to support all peace initiatives by the government,” Rukia said.
Meanwhile, the Tana River county commissioner has called on the security agencies in the area to prosecute in court all criminal cases, including rape and murder.
Mwangi said the two criminal acts have been a source of conflict other than competition over water and pasture for livestock.
A number of pastoral communities resolve the two criminal acts through alternative conflict resolution mechanisms, but in recent years, the victims of these crimes feel that they have been left out because elders take over and resolve the cases without involving them.
This has sometimes led to revenge by victims because the perpetrators of these crimes are set free and remain within the community. This has resulted in loss of human lives and a protracted dispute resolution process that may take years to resolve.
“The security agencies have instructions to arrest suspects involved in rape and murder cases. This was also agreed by the elders during our meeting today,” Mwangi noted.
By Jacob Songok
