Sunday August 18, 2019
Three herders were killed while grazing their animals in Ethiopia and camels stolen on Thursday according to Banisa Sub-County Deputy County Commissioner Noah Tanui.
He added that of the three, one was a Kenyan while two were Ethiopian herders.
“The fighting in Ethiopia has affected Kenyan herders who cross the border due to ravaging drought, three people were killed and at least 100 camels stolen,” he said.
Mr Tanui said the killings in Ethiopia raised tension on the Kenyan side among the Degodia and Garre clans.
“We have managed to calm the situation on our side and normalcy has returned as we continue to engage the clans further through their elders,” he said on Thursday.
The sub county boss warned herders from Kenya against crossing into Ethiopia while armed whenever they go looking for pasture and water.
“We are experiencing drought and most pastoralists are moving into Ethiopia to find pasture but as they cross, I want them not to carry firearms with them,” he said.
On Wednesday evening, MPs Bashir Abdullahi (Mandera North) and Hassan Kulo Maalim (Banisa) held an emergency meeting in Nairobi.
“We have had a meeting in Nairobi and communicated our commitment for peaceful coexistence back home to both Degodia and Garre clan elders, we are calling for a truce,” said Mandera North MP Bashir Abdullahi by phone.
The Nairobi meeting was attended by several Members of Mandera County Assembly from Banisa and Mandera North constituencies.
“We urge the affected clan not to retaliate,” said Mr Abdullahi as he appealed to local community not to allow events in Ethiopia spill into Mandera. Local leaders blamed animosity in the region to the long drought.
Most of herders from Mandera have crossed into Ethiopia and Somalia in search of pasture and water for their livestock.
Inter-clan fighting in Ethiopia has always ended up spilling into Kenya since both Degodia and Garre clans live across Kenya-Ethiopia border.
Already efforts are underway by Ethiopian authorities to recover more than 100 camels stolen from the herders.
“We are facing insecurity and drought in Mandera, it is a difficult situation for any progressive development,” said Mandera North MP Abdullahi.