Tana River residents urged to surrender illegal guns

Tana River Governor Dhadho Godhana has made a passionate call to residents of Madogo and Bangale in Tana River North to surrender illicit guns to the government, saying no place will develop economically amid rampant insecurity and intercommunity fighting.

Godhana said he was ready to move into every village in the area to boost the gun-mopping exercise declared by the national government in January 2026.

The governor said he was willing to resolve the long-standing and often deadly confrontation between livestock keepers and farming communities over dwindling water and pasture resources.

Clashes between two warring communities in December last year led to deadly violence and the loss of 14 lives.

According to the National Drought Management Authority, the current protracted drought in the county is entering an emergency situation.

In a report, NDMA says most water pans, dams and boreholes have dried up, and pastoralist communities have to walk long distances in search of water and pasture.

Godhana made the remarks at Madogo shopping centre during a public baraza where he was accompanied by the county security team led by area county commissioner Joseph Mwangi.

“Give up the guns. They won’t bring any form of development. I speak this with experience. Embrace change and engage in business instead,” the governor told the crowd.

Godhana said he had a blueprint and economic programme for Madogo town and urged residents to seize the amnesty period offered by the national government for anybody who surrenders illegal firearms.

“We are changing this town to a double-business corridor. We have a surface water master drainage plan and walkways like in Hola town. We are building a huge market and clean water system here. We want to align our towns with the River Tana that meanders throughout the county,” he detailed.

He revealed that investors were starting to put up 10,000 housing units in various towns in the county from this month, and one is set to construct a modern hospital as a long-term investment.

At the same time, Mwangi said the government will implement stringent measures to curb the circulation of illegal arms in the region.

He assured residents of adequate security protection and urged them to surrender illegally held firearms.

The county commissioner urged residents to remain calm, vigilant and cooperate with the security agencies involved in mopping up the illicit firearms.

He urged the communities to stop harbouring bandits and other criminals, noting that public cooperation remains critical in ending recurrent insecurity incidents.

“We urge the residents to report any forms of criminality for the authorities to act decisively,” he said, adding that criminals often live and operate within the communities.

He said that since January, residents in Bangale subcounty have surrendered 11 illegally held guns to the multi-agency security team.

The county commissioner noted that the security situation was gradually improving, attributing the progress to sustained security operations and growing public support.