Tana River locals urged to shun frequent tribal clashes amidst tension

Leaders from Tana River, peace actors, and residents during a procession to mark International Peace Day./STEPHEN ASTARIKO

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Communities living in Tana River county have been urged to peacefully coexist and avoid inter-clan clashes.

The county has in the past faced a series of inter-community clashes that have left dozens of people dead, hundreds of casualties, destruction of property and displacement.

The inter-community clashes, especially in the Tana Delta pitting the Pokomo, who are predominantly farmers, and Ormas and Wardei, who are livestock keepers, have revolved around competition for scarce natural resources, mainly water and pasture.

This year, at least seven people, including a senior police officer, lost their lives in inter-community clashes in Bangali subcounty.

However, local leaders and politicians have strongly come out to caution the residents against inter-community clashes and incitement, noting the need for continued peaceful coexistence living among all people of all tribes in the county.

Speaking during the celebrations of the International Peace Day for this year at Chara village in Tana Delta subcounty, National Police Service Commission chairperson Amani Komora called for unity and harmonious living for all communities in the county, noting that without people, the people could not realise the much-needed development.

Komora further said that the government, through the leadership of the Inspector General of Police, had put up measures to ensure a peaceful campaign and election period come next year, revealing that the government would increase the number of the NPS offices to ensure that the country was well covered.

“We have come to sensitise our people on the importance of peace and peaceful coexistence and unity. Without peace and harmony, we cannot experience any change in terms of development in this country,” Komora said.

“We have put enough measures through the command of the Inspector General of Police to ensure that there is enough security before, during and after next year’s general election.

“We are supporting the police in terms of employment and increasing the head count, and we will continue to increase the numbers to make sure that every corner of this country is well covered,” he added.

Tana River Senator Danson Mungatanacalled on the political class to avoid pitting tribes and clans against one another through political incitement, warning that no political seat had been set aside for a certain community.

Mungatana urged the residents not to elect anyone involved in inciting communities against one another, reiterating the need to have agenda –based leaders after the next year’s general elections.

“I am appealing to the political class to not divide our people along tribal lines. We want politicians to carry out decent campaigns.

“Do not tell the people that your tribe is being persecuted or your tribe will miss out on something or your tribe will be chased out especially here in Tana River,” Mungatana said.

“We want to change the direction of our politics. We want all people who will be elected next year to be people of agenda instead of those who preach tribal politics. No seat is put aside for a certain tribe.”

Former Tana River Woman Representative Rehema Hassan hit out at politicians, whom she said had made it a habit to whip the emotions of their community members just to get votes, calling on the electorate to avoid such people.