|
MPs’ security team to probe clashes
DAILY NATION
Story by BENSON AMADALA
Publication Date: 4/19/2007
A parliamentary committee has pitched tent in the clashes-torn Mt Elgon District to establish the cause of the violence.
The House committee on national security yesterday held talks with the western provincial security team in Kakamega before heading for the violence-torn area. A hundred and fifty people have been killed in the violence in the last six months.
Committee chairman Ramadhan Seif Kajembe said the team would meet affected families and area leaders.
“Our mission here is try and find out the cause of the unrest which has led to loss of lives and destruction of property,” said Mr Kajembe, also the MP for Changamwe.
The Government has been accused for failing to end the violence sparked by a land feud pitting the Soy and Ndorobo clans. The fighting has been blamed on a dispute over the third phase of land distribution at the Chebyuk settlement scheme.
Internal Security minister John Michuki and his Lands counterpart, Prof Kivutha Kibwana, are expected in the district today to meet leaders as part of effort to restore peace.
They are expected to deal with the issue of land allocation which has been suspended to allow a fresh scrutiny of names of the beneficiaries.
Mr Kajembe said members of the committee had met some of the affected families in Nairobi and decided to tour the district before compiling their findings to be tabled in Parliament for debate.
Mr Kajembe said the Government’s responsibility was to protect the lives and property of Kenyans and should end the violence in Mt Elgon.
Western provincial commissioner Abdul Mwasera said security patrols had been intensified and efforts to restore peace were going on.
He put the number of those killed in the clashes at 73 although officials of humanitarian organisations said 150 had died since the fighting erupted.
Mr Mwasera also said 24 raiders had been gunned down by security officers and 24 others injured during operations to flush them out of their hideouts in Mt Elgon
forest.
|
