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A joint security operation has been launched in Tana River County following the inter-clan attacks that have so far claimed at least 22 lives.

The last killings, where four people were killed in the Meti area just a day after the Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki declared 12 locals in the expansive county as disturbed areas.

According to the police, the four were killed in a retaliatory attack, and more personnel were sent to the area to help calm the tension rising amid investigations into the same.

Tana River Governor Dhadho Godhana who was arrested and later released has blamed the security agencies of laxity, claiming that he had earlier briefed the security committee of the possible attacks. The Council of Governors have also condemned the arrest of Godhana over the attacks.

Godana and Galole Member of Parliament Said Hiribae were Friday night arrested for grilling over the ongoing inter-clan clashes in the area.

This is after they ignored police summonses for grilling over the deadly clashes.

They were arrested in Mombasa and driven to Nairobi for the grilling sessions. Police said they had ignored summonses to appear before the detectives, according to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) boss Mohammed Amin.

Three other Members of Parliament (MPs) from Tana River County and a local Member of County Assembly were on Friday also grilled by police in connection with the clashes. They have been identified as Ali Wario (Garsen), Yakub Adow (Bura) and MCA Mohammed Jibril (Bangale ward) and former Woman Representative Rehema Hassan.

He said they intend to forward their findings with recommendations to the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for action.

CS Kindiki on Friday gazetted 12 locations in Tana River County as disturbed areas. The locations will be treated as disturbed areas for the next one month, according to Kindiki.

“In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 106 (1) of the National Police Service Act, 2011, the Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration, in consultation with the National Security Council, declares the following parts of Tana River County as security disturbed and dangerous,” the notice reads.

The notice took effect on October 11 as from 6.30pm for a period of 30 days. It may, however, at any time be withdrawn or continued in force for such further period as the Cabinet Secretary may, in each case, direct.