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The government has warned camel herders against encroaching into farms in Kitui, saying firm action will be taken against trespassers.

The herders from neighbouring counties have already settled in the Muthaa area, near farms with crops

“We will not allow criminals to reign supreme in our area. That is our foremost priority. People’s property must be safeguarded,” said Kitui County Commissioner Erastus Mbui.

The administrator spoke on Friday at Musenge area in Mutha ward with Kitui South constituency shortly after his convoy was pelted with stones during a tour of the volatile region.

The convoy had senior security officials from the county.

The entourage was attacked with stones and other crude weapons at Kalalani area of Mutha ward where the camel herders have settled.

Mbui had led the county’s top security team on an assessment visit amid rising tensions between local Kamba inhabitants and herders from Tana River county and parts of North Eastern Kenya. Clashes between herders and local farmers have been frequent in recent times, with deadly outcomes.

Following the attack, the team suspended a public security meeting that had been scheduled for Kalalani. The meeting was instead held at Musenge, a few kilometres away, where Mbui issued a stern warning to those behind the attack.

He said his team exercised restraint and opted not to use firearms to disperse the attackers, noting that such action could have led to tragic consequences.

“Had I used my firearm to repulse the stone throwers, it would by now have been flashed all over that the county commissioner has committed murder,” he said.

He added that the circumstances triggering such an incident would likely have been overlooked.

Mbui emphasised that leadership demands restraint, even under extreme provocation, and reiterated that his priority remains restoring peace and stability in Mutha.

He also urged local residents to stop leasing out their land to herders, arguing that the practice has contributed to escalating conflicts.

County police commander Martha Ng’etich said resolving the insecurity in the volatile area will require close cooperation between residents and security agencies.

Mutha MCA Dominic Mwamisi said his constituents had suffered greatly at the hands of armed herders. He called for decisive action, including the eviction of illegal settlers from the peripheral areas of Mutha and the South Kitui Game Reserve.

He said the national government must move swiftly to dismantle illegal settlements to restore order and protect local livelihoods.