SECURITY TIGHTENED

Security has been beefed up on the Kenya-Ethiopia border following the killing of two people by suspected Merille attackers.

Turkana North District Commissioner Jack Obuo said suspected Merille raiders attacked Meyan village and shot dead two women before taking off with unknown number of animals.

Consequently, security team and elders from the two countries will hold a joint meeting to ease rising tension following the sporadic attacks.

Mr Obuo said the meeting would be held at Kangateng in Ethiopia on Friday to quell the attacks caused by scarcity of water and pasture.

“The meeting is aimed at recovering the stolen animals and returning them to rightful owners,” disclosed Mr Obuo.

The incident follows the killing of a senior General Service Unit (GSU) three months ago when Kenyan security forces attempted to repulse Merille pastoralists.

At the same time more than 3,000 families in Turkana North district displaced by floods are faced with risk of contracting waterborne diseases due to uhygienic conditions.

Mr Obuo said the families were rendered homeless after rivers in Todonyang and Lokitaung areas broke their banks.

He, however, said the government and humanitarian organisations have distributed relief food and medicine to the affected families.

At the same time more than 400 animals have been swept as floods continue to wrack havoc in the larger Turkana district.

“Rescue teams have been dispatched to assist affected families with relief supplies including food, medicine and clean water,” said Titus Mung’ou Kenya Red cross Communication manager.

The floods have caused extensive damage to roads and vegetation in the several parts of the North Rift region.