Tana river: Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has urged leaders and communities in Tana River, Garissa, and Kitui counties to embrace dialogue and end the recurring inter-community conflicts along their borders days after four people were killed in a suspected attack by armed camel herders in the Itimba-Ithei area of Tseikuru sub-county, Kitui County.

According to Kenya News Agency, the killing of the four people now brings the number of lives lost in the last two months to 11, following the killing of 7 people, including a 14-year-old boy, in the Kwa Kamari and Ukasi areas. A series of security meetings drawing leaders from Garissa and Tana River counties seems not to be bearing fruit following the renewed attacks.

Speaking during a fundraising event for Darulhikma and Taqwa Madrassas in Darulhikma village in Bura Constituency yesterday, CS Duale warned that continued disruption of peace risked serious repercussions for the people living in the counties. Duale further urged for calm and peaceful coexistence, noting that the counties where each community lives are God-given and that people don't choose their neighbours.

Duale emphasized that without peace, daily activities would be severely impacted, affecting businesses, religious practices, and infrastructure. He stated, 'Without peace, our mothers will not be able to do their businesses; without peace, people will not go to the mosques or churches; without peace, our roads will become impassable, and transport will be paralyzed.'

He further appealed to the inhabitants of the counties to recognize their shared existence as determined by divine will, saying, 'I urge the people of Tana River, and we will talk to the leaders of Garissa and Kitui; we all have been neighbors. We are neighbours because God deemed it so. You can choose a friend, but you cannot choose your neighbor.'

Duale's sentiments were echoed by Bura Member of Parliament Yakub Adow, who also called for peaceful coexistence and respect for territorial borders of the counties involved. Yakub highlighted the importance of leaving the lands of Tana River to its people, stating, 'We and the people of Kitui are peaceful people. I want to tell the people of Tana River that all we want is peace. However, I want to tell the people of Kitui that constructing police stations funded by the county government of Kitui inside our borders of Tana River is unacceptable. We want peace, but the lands of Tana River should be left to the people of Tana River.'