Sunday, January 8, 2012

Saitoti calls for end to Moyale conflict



Saitoti calls for end to Moyale conflict
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 7 – Internal security Minister George Saitoti has called on communities living in the Moyale to embrace peace and stop the inter-clan fighting that has seen many lives lost.
Saitoti, who spoke in his Harambee House office on Friday evening, attributed the conflicts to power and resource sharing tensions in readiness for the eagerly awaited establishment of county governments.
He has called on the communities to always embrace dialogue whenever conflicts arise.
Saitoti said that the intelligence information showed that conflict between Borana and Gabra communities was due to their demand that they be effectively involved in the sharing of the devolved resources.
“This political dispute clearly can be sorted amicably much so in this election year it would be embarrassing for incidences that refresh the memories of post election violence to start occurring. It would be a major let down to Kenyans and Kenya at large,” said Saitoti.
The minister has urged the local leaders to embark on peace meetings and the political leaders to engage to find long lasting solutions to the conflict.
He said that the government has beefed up security to deal with those causing chaos and that all those police reservists who have been identified as partisan will be disarmed.
“The government has deployed enough security officers to contain the situation; acts of lawlessness will not be tolerated and will be dealt with firmly,” warned the minister.
“All officers have been instructed to enforce the law equally amongst all communities, disarming of partisan KPR should apply equally to all communities and fresh vetting to be done on a larger scale,” said Saitoti on the claims that some reservists have taken partisan positions.
Saitoti promised to visit the area early next week to engage the political leaders in efforts to find a lasting solution.
The fighting which has intensified since the beginning of this year has claimed the lives of 7 people this week including a police officer while another police officer and a child have been injured.
A member of the Borana community was killed while another sustained bullet wounds after a clash with members of the Gabbra community on Monday while four other people were killed after a reconciliatory meeting in Helu location on Tuesday backfired.
Security officers in patrol around the Butiye area were not spared either after an officer was shot dead following an ambush while another officer sustained gunshot injuries on Thursday
Laisamis MP Joseph Lekuton on behalf of leaders from Marsabit County called for a ceasefire among the warring groups and assured that the leaders will work together for peace and reconciliation.
“We have met and resolved to work together to restore peace; we recommend and encourage peace committees and local leaders to enhance peace initiatives among all communities. No community should be discriminated against during this initiative to restore peace,” he read for s statement signed by MPs representing Saku, Moyale and North Horr constituencies.
The minister reassured that Kenya will not entertain elements that will attempt to cross the border and cause havoc in the country as has been demonstrated by the onslaught against the Al Shabaab.
Saitoti was accompanied by the Internal Security PS Francis Kimemia, Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere and Moyale MP Mohamud Ali.

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