Nomadic herdsmen from NEP region nearly marred devolution meeting on
the border of Kitui and tana river counties that was convened to
kick off devolution torch initiated by the council of governors.
Governors Julius Malombe (Kitui ) and Abdullahi Ahmed (Wajir) were
forced to cut short the meeting held at Katumba area on
Mwingi-Garissa highway after irate herders forced their way to the
dias.
The nomads were apparently angered by the presence of Wajir governor
alleging that there could a plan with the Kitui county leadership to
extend the border and therefore displace them along with their
livestock.
Governor Ahmed tried in vain to cool down the rising tension in the
Somali dialect but the herders paid deaf ear prompting him to
hurriedly hand over the devolution torch to governor Malombe.
A small contingent of police officers keeping security in the meeting
worked with restrain to calm the herders who were armed with sticks
and stones but at one stage were somehow whitewashed as the herders
continued surging towards where the leaders were sitting.
For two months tension has been high in the area leading to
conflict between the herders and the locals over diminishing water and
pasture prompting police to beef up security in the area.
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