Residents and elders during a peace meeting with CC James kamau. Residents have been urged to stop spreading hate amongst each other. Photo: Angaaf Radio.
Elders in Loiyangalani area Loiyangalani Sub-County in Marsabit County have called upon residents to stop fueling and promoting hate among communities living in the area, following a series of unrest recently witnessed in the area.
While addressing journalists on June, Monday 9, the elders drawn from the Rendile community, led by the chairperson Salim Kato, called on residents to embrace peace and live in harmony with all communities around them.
“As elders from Rendile community, we are pleading with the rival communities in Loiyangalani to stop the enmity and hatred amongst themselves and focus on promoting and maintaining peace,” Kato pleaded.
The elders urged the communities in the area not to allow outsiders to incite them into conflict, leading to them losing their properties and loved ones, while they live in peace. The elders further made pleas to the youth to stop further incitement of the incidents through social media.
“We are calling on the communities not to allow few criminals to divide and create enmity among them for personal gains and goals, as well as our youth must stop using community formed pages on social media to further escalate and spread hate and animosity,” Kato further pleaded.
Zack Lenawamuro, assistant chairman of the Rendile community, urged the National Police Reservists (NPR) in the area, to beef up security in the area, after a businessman was attacked in the area on Sunday morning while supplying his goods in the area, from El Molo village.
Despite no fatalities being reported, Lenawamuro called on the NPR to ensure that they track down the criminals and other perpetrators causing insecurity in the area. He further commended their efforts, and urged the Ministry of Interior to add the number of officers in the area.
“NPR are doing a good job in nomadic communities, I would urge the government to add the officers in the area, as it is the plea of the people. We want to urge the NPS to heighten their surveillance and ensure all the criminals causing unrest in Loiyangalani area are arrested and charged,” Lenawamuro said.
On Sunday, Officer Commanding Station (OCS) attached to Loiyangalani police post was shot on the leg following a gunfire exchange with raiders believed to be from the neigbouring Samburu County, that happened behind the Desert Museum in Loiyangalani Town. DCC Stanley Kimanga confirmed the incident, and further stated that the officer was airlifted to Nairobi for specialized treatment.
