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5,000 families flee battle zone
Story by BERNARD KWALIA
Publication Date: 2007/11/06
More people continue to flee clash-hit Mt Elgon District for fear
of attacks by militia and harassment by police.
An estimated 5,000 families in Kapsokwony, Kaptama and Kopsiro
divisions have sought refuge in neighbouring Trans Nzoia, West
Pokot, Uasin-Gishu, Bungoma districts.
Others were yesterday crossing into Uganda as police and militia
continued to clash. Eleven people have been killed and several
injured in the region for the past two weeks.
Militiamen beheaded three people, among them a teacher at Kamner,
while police officers are said to have accidentally gunned down
two students and a farmer in the area.
The learners were identified as Isaac Bennett, a Form One student,
and Hezron Sendera, a Kenya Certificate of Primary Education
candidate at Koshok Primary School.
More than 800 houses – including food granaries – were burned in
the new violence.
The houses were razed at Kamneru, Sambocho, Cheptonon, Toywondet
and Kapkatenyi areas.
Other reports indicated that security personnel flushed out people
camping in Kapkateny, Land-B in Kopsiro on suspicion that they
were collaborating with criminals.
Yesterday, district commissioner Mohammed Biriki asked residents
to work with security personnel to prevent crime.
Political campaigns
Mr Biriki said the Government had beefed up security in the area
and asked residents to remain calm.
The insecurity has derailed political campaigns with some local
aspirants holding their meetings in Trans Nzoia.
Political leaders fear voter turnout will be poor during the party
nominations planned in two weeks.
Even local administrators such as chiefs and their assistants have
abandoned respective work stations for fear of attack.
A former county council chairman, Mr James Shabatai, has accused
security personnel of burning houses and robbing innocent people.
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