Haji links Assistant Minister to Tana deaths

By Standard Team

Assistant minister Dhado Godhana was implicated in the clashes that rocked Tana River County in Parliament, as authorities claimed politicians fanned the conflict in which 52 people were killed.

Acting Internal Security minister Yusuf Haji told Parliament he had ordered police to investigate Godana over his alleged role in the Tana Delta clashes.

Haji said he had directed the Criminal Investigations Department to question the Galole MP as he claimed the attacks were politically instigated.

The minister said top security teams held a meeting with leaders from the clash-torn area Thursday morning, but Godhana said hewould not attend.

Nominated MP Rachael Shebesh charged that MPs who incite people to kill one another should not be allowed in Parliament.

“If he (Godhana) will not be questioned, then we will be failing as a nation,” she added.

Yatta MP Charles Kilonzo said the Assistant minister should first be fired and then investigated.

“Sack the man first and then we can talk about the other matter later,” he added.

Even as MPs expressed anger over the Tana River killings, reports indicated that two more people were killed last evening as the Mandera inter-clan clashes spilled to Wajir County. So far, 13 people have been killed in the violence raging in Mandera. More than a dozen others were seriously injured in the clashes between members of the Degodia and Gare clans in Waberi location at the heart of Wajir town.

Meanwhile casualties of Wednesday’s dawn attack on Rekite Village in Tana River County recuperated in hospitals as security chiefs visited the clash-torn region where 52 people were killed.

Gloom engulfed the village, 120km south of Hola, the county’s capital, as those killed in the inter-ethnic conflict were buried in mass graves.

There were fears as to the fate of about 50 villagers whom the local aid workers said were still missing from the violence said to be the Pokomo retaliation attack on the Orma.

Kenya Red Cross Secretary-General Abbas Gullet claimed that 3,000 people had fled their homes following the violence and required urgent humanitarian assistance.

Disrupted

Angry residents jeered Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere and Administration Police Commandant Kinuthia Mbugua, accusing security forces of failure to prevent the attacks.

A gathering addressed by Coast PC Samuel Kilele and the security chiefs was momentarily disrupted as people scurried for safety after word went round that skirmishes had erupted in Onido Village.

Iteere had a rough time convincing the audience of mainly ethnic Orma that the reports were inaccurate.

“I have just flown from Onido Village and I can confirm to you that there is no attack as had been alleged,”?he said.

Meanwhile, overwhelmed Witu and Mpeketoni dispensaries referred about 22 patients, some with arrows lodged in their bodies and bullet wounds to Malindi District Hospital.

Medical personnel said one patient with multiple abdominal injuries had been flown to the Coast Provincial General Hospital for specialised attention.

Eight women with bullet wounds and two children, who had extensive burns, were among those admitted to the district hospital.

And as acting Internal Security minister Yusuf Haji in Nairobi ordered immediate disarmament of civilians, The Standard team spotted some residents armed with guns not far away from where authorities addressed a baraza.

Some openly claimed that they were arming to defend Rekite Kubwa, Nairobi, Rekite Ndogo and Onido villages, which they claim were under threat of attack. Close to 700 people had fled their homes by Thursday.

The source of their guns was not known. The PC told the residents: “I will not leave this place until all of you hand over your guns to the police.”

By Thursday, no gun had been recovered and no suspect had been captured a week after a similar disarmament ultimatum was issued by the PC. In Parliament, Haji said locals were incited to attack each other. “Apart from the drought and pasture problems, the clashes had some political instigation”.

Nominated MP Maison Leshomo said Godhana confided in her that he would not be attending any meeting convened by Haji.

Gichugu MP Martha Karua asked Haji to state the action that the Government would take against the perpetrators of the violence.

Sponsored violence

She challenged the minister to name the politician who incited locals or sponsored the violence.

Responding to a question by Kamukunji MP Yusuf Hassan on what measures the Government was taking to avert clashes, the minister said security would be beefed up.

Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo alleged that he received a text message from an intelligence officer telling him that the Tana Delta violence was politically instigated.

“The officer told me to come and raise the matter at the floor of the House,” he added.

Kilgoris MP Gideon Konchella told the minister: “Use your power to stop any such occurrence in the future.”

In Nairobi, Haji warned that all provincial administration officials would be held accountable if more attacks happen.

“We have agreed that the Government will conduct an operation to disarm all communities illegally armed in the country and reinforce security in the affected areas,” said Haji.

 The minister spoke after a meeting with MPs from the Tana Delta and North Eastern, which have been rocked by ethnic clashes.

Those who attended the meeting at Harambee House included MPs Adan Duale, Adan Keynan, Abdikadir Mohamed, Mohamed Elmi, Maamud Mohamed, Mohamed Affey, Farah Maalim, Hassan Mohamed, Danson Mungatana, Mohamed Hussein, Adan Sugow, Abdi Sasura, Mohamed Nur and A. Hassan.