A fragile peace along the Kenya-Ethiopia border has come under fresh strain after a Turkana herder was killed and a truck carrying goods and Sh600,000 in cash was waylaid, in what authorities say were retaliatory attacks by suspected militiamen from Ethiopia.
The incidents occurred along the Kibish corridor in Turkana County after a Nyangatom herder from Ethiopia was allegedly killed by Turkana peace spoilers who had crossed the border, triggering a retaliatory attack on Kenyan territory.
Kibish Deputy County Commissioner Tom Otieno said the incidents had disrupted an area that had remained largely peaceful, with authorities from both countries now working to contain the situation.
"The incident triggered the insecurity along the border that has been very peaceful. Peace spoilers from Kokuro village are the ones who crossed over to Ethiopia to raid and kill a Nyangatom herder, resulting in the isolated incidents in Kibish. We are trying to manage the situation in coordination with Ethiopian authorities," Mr Otieno said.
He said retaliatory attacks were likely whenever one community felt aggrieved, unless residents on both sides of the border restrained themselves and upheld peaceful coexistence.
Mr Otieno said authorities had organised joint dialogue and several community engagements to pacify the area and prevent isolated incidents from escalating into wider conflict.
"There are a few thugs at the border that, as authorities from both countries, we will deal with. It is not communities fighting against each other but individuals who are hell-bent on spoiling peaceful coexistence between the border locals," he said.
Drought makes situation 'more dangerous'
The administrator warned that the prolonged drought in the region could make the situation more dangerous, as Turkana pastoralists have crossed into Ethiopia in search of pasture and water.
"There is drought at the border, and Turkana people have crossed over to Ethiopia for pasture and water. If the incidents escalate, their lives will be in danger," Mr Otieno said.
The tensions were followed by a highway attack on the morning of last Saturday, when an armed group waylaid a truck travelling along the Lokamarinyang-Kibish road and stole food commodities and Sh600,000 in cash.
Mr Steven Pedo, one of the victims, said he and three others were travelling in the truck, which operates as a mobile wholesale shop supplying commodities to residents of remote villages along the Kenya-Ethiopia border.
"Our truck operates like a mobile wholesale shop for locals at villages near the border of Kenya and Ethiopia, some located more than 400 kilometres away," Mr Pedo said.
He said the team left Lodwar on Friday, stopping at Kaaleng to distribute ordered commodities before spending the night at Kokuro, where they sold goods. They later proceeded to Napeikar and Liwan centres before spending Saturday night at Lokamarinyang.
"On our way to Kibish, our last centre, we encountered armed militia around 10am who robbed us of food items and Sh600,000 in cash," Mr Pedo said.
The attack could have ended tragically, he said, after two loaders on the truck identified one of the attackers as a customer who had previously bought food commodities from them.
"We are lucky to be alive, as the shots fired didn't get anyone of us. We cooperated and allowed them to take whatever they wanted before we proceeded to a nearby General Service Unit camp to make a report," he said.
Mr Pedo urged authorities and local leaders to warn residents against highway armed robbery, saying traders serving remote communities were increasingly vulnerable.
Local leaders and peace actors have called for increased security patrols along the Lokamarinyang-Kibish road to protect traders and other road users serving remote border communities.
Mr Muhsin Bille, a local leader, called for enhanced patrols along the route, saying improved security was necessary to guarantee the safety of people delivering essential services to hard-to-reach villages.
Peace ambassador Achegei Abdi Adan urged border communities to maintain peace and called for better coordination among institutions involved in peace and security efforts to restore calm along the Kibish corridor. He warned that renewed insecurity could undermine years of cross-border cooperation at a time when drought was forcing pastoralists to move in search of water and pasture.
"With the current drought season, escalated insecurity will spoil the peace that has enabled Turkana pastoralists to migrate as far as Tepes Hills inside Ethiopia, which is largely inhabited by the Nyangatom pastoral community, as well as sharing the Nakuwa River," Mr Adan said.
Mr Otieno said authorities were also planning a joint commemoration of peace between the Nyangatom and Turkana communities to celebrate six years of peaceful coexistence. He said security personnel from both countries would not allow isolated incidents to undermine efforts to maintain long-term peace and reopen the border further for cross-border trade.
"We want to tell border communities that one person cannot spoil the peace being enjoyed by many people," he said.
