‘Criminals who orchestrated Sondu chaos cannot be excused’ – Kindiki
By Joel Sang, July 15, 2023Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kithure Kindiki has vowed that the orchestrators of the Sondu conflicts will not be excused.
On Wednesday, July 12, 2023, tribal conflicts flared up at Sondu, on the Kericho-Kisumu County border, and the minister has stated those actions cannot be tolerated any longer.
Kindiki’s stance
Kindiki held a security briefing with the Rift Valley and Nyanza Regions and Kericho and Kisumu Counties Security and Intelligence Committees and addressed a public baraza at Sondu on Saturday, July 15, 2023.
“All differences, be they social, political, religious, or community-based, can only be resolved peacefully and within the law. Violence and lawlessness cannot be a solution to any dispute.
“Those who orchestrated chaos in Sondu Township on Wednesday, in the guise of border disputes between Kericho and Kisumu Counties, were criminals, whose acts cannot be tolerated or excused.
“The Government is ready to facilitate peacebuilding and cohesion efforts between communities living in border towns. The culture of impunity must be stopped, and those keen on driving the country into anarchy through violence and wanton destruction of private and public property must be dealt with firmly and decisively,” Kindiki said in a statement.
After the unrest on Wednesday, one person was killed, and scores sustained gunshot wounds and arrow injuries an act that was also condemned by the Principal Secretary, State Department for Internal Security and National Administration, Raymond Omollo.
“This border town (Sondu) has for a long time been balanced on the precipice of a brewing ethnic conflict between residents of Kisumu and Kericho counties.
“As a historical challenge, therefore, even as we pursue a lasting remedy to stabilize this volatile region, we call upon the regional leadership from both divides to calm the locals and allow for security operations to restore law and order,” Omollo said in a statement.
Nationwide security mission
Kindiki has been on a security mission across the country and has visited North Eastern counties of Mandera, Garissa, and Wajir. This region has had to deal with extremist groups and Al-Shabab.
On Friday, July 14, the former Tharaka-Nithi Senator was in Kilgoris, where he stated that a General Service Unit station has been set up to deal with the insecurity challenge. A spate of violent attacks over perennial communal border disputes has been regularly witnessed in Kilgoris.
According to Kindiki, over 40 suspects had been arrested following recent chaos in Kilgoris.
The CS is expected to be under more spotlight next week when Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya Alliance is expected to hold anti-government protests on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.