Top police commanders conducted a visit to the troubled Tana River County to evaluate the security situation following deadly inter-clan clashes that have resulted in 22 fatalities.
The delegation, led by Deputy Inspectors General of Police Eliud Lagat (Kenya Police Service) and Gilbert Masengeli (Administration Police Service), also toured Lamu County on Thursday.
Their visit was prompted by the recent violence in Tana River County, which has led to the displacement of residents and loss of life.
During their visit, they stopped at Anole Primary School to update the local community on government measures aimed at restoring normalcy and ensuring that educational activities continue without interruption.
They urged locals to collaborate with security teams to fully restore peace. They later visited Nanighi, where they ordered the immediate deployment of General Service Unit (GSU) officers to enhance security in schools as students prepare for upcoming national exams. Subsequently, the DIGs held a peace meeting with local elders and National Government Administration Officers (NGAO) at the Bura Irrigation Centre, commending them for their support of multi-agency efforts to restore peace in the area.
At Manda Forward Operating Base (FOB), the DIGs received updates on operations targeting terrorism across the country, with top police commanders from the region in attendance.
Parts of Lamu are currently facing terror threats, and this visit aimed to bolster the morale of police engaged in operations on the ground.
In Tana River, the conflict between communities began nearly a week ago in the Anole area and has since spread to other villages, including Nanighi, according to officials.
Local leaders are under investigation regarding the clashes.
Hundreds of residents have fled their homes seeking safety and refuge.
The conflict is believed to have started after the Tana River County government allocated land to resettle flood victims who had been living along the Tana River. The relocation of these flood victims to an area along the Garissa-Hola road angered the native pastoralist community, which claimed the land as their grazing and watering territory.
The skirmishes, which escalated in several villages, have involved warring communities using firearms, bows, and arrows, posing challenges for security officers trying to contain the violence.
The pastoralists, who traditionally live with their livestock, have rejected the county government’s plans to resettle farmers in the area, viewing it as a deliberate seizure of their land.
They assert ownership of the land designated for the resettlement of farmers displaced by flooding after the Tana River overflowed during the recent long rains.
