Kisumu leaders have expressed deep concern following the loss of six lives in the ongoing clashes along the Sondu/Kericho border.
Led by Governor Anyang Nyong'o, the leaders emphasized their firm stance against the tragic loss of innocent lives in the escalating conflicts between the Luo and Kipsigis communities residing in the border region.
"For the past two days, there has been mayhem at Sondu market and along the Kisumu-Kericho border which has resulted in deaths, injuries, destruction of property and displacement of several families," said Nyong'o.
"We have been in constant contact with the Kisumu County Security and administration officers to ensure there is peace and security in Sondu," he asserted.
Tensions remain high in the affected areas as an increasing number of families, particularly from the Kisumu side, are fleeing their homes due to the ongoing clashes.
Speaking at a press conference in Kisumu, local leaders called for an end to the use of bows and arrows by their counterparts from Kericho.
The leaders, including Kisumu County Deputy Governor Mathews Owili, Kisumu West MP Rosa Buyu, Kisumu Central MP Dr Joshua Oron, and several MCAs, expressed their disappointment with the escalating skirmishes.
They expressed concern over the forceful seizure of livestock, which has caused significant economic setbacks for the feuding communities.
The situation has also had a severe impact on the once-thriving Sondu market, disrupting economic activities and leaving many families facing starvation. Urgent measures are now needed to contain the spread of the violence and restore security in the region.
"As leaders from Kisumu County, we wish to condemn the skirmishes in the strongest terms possible and that we protest at the conduct of the police deployed to quell the skirmishes," said Nyong'o.
"We have received reports on their partisan behaviour and witnessed them standing by, unperturbed as youths, armed with arrows and other crude weapons from the Kericho side, march into Sondu market to attack traders. We expected the police to have blocked, disarmed and arrested them," declared Nyong'o
The infuriated leaders urged the National government to stop the fights adding that the security apparatus must move with speed to deploy neutral police officers to investigate what sparked the flare-ups and protect residents from both sides.
"As we investigate the real cause of these conflicts that have claimed lives, and for the sake of peace and good neighbourliness, we appeal for calm and an immediate ceasefire," said the governor.
The Kisumu leaders also called all on leaders from the Kericho side to show leadership and ask their people to lay down arms and allow structured discussions to address the reasons behind the conflict.
Buyu took issue with the Kericho governor Erick Mutai for "insulting" them.
"We want to tell the governor to stop such reckless statements. We aren't bigots," she said and condemned acts of lawlessness.
Buyu who is a member of the National Assembly security committee said they had asked the internal security officers to act swiftly so that "no more lives are lost adding that every life matters."
She condemned the killing of innocent Kenyans protesting the high cost of living, urging immediate security measures to prevent further violence. Buyu called for calm and requested the Kericho county leadership to issue a similar statement promptly.
Owili on his part said for a long time, the two sides coexisted harmoniously and so it was only prudent that peace be pursued to fruition. He cautioned against reckless statements at this time by leaders from both sides that could only aggregate the situation and stoke further ethnic animosity.
"We have anecdotal video evidence of those who have lost their lives and it is the reason we are pronouncing ourselves on this sensitive matter because we can't keep quiet and watch our people die in the cruel manner we are seeing now. It's abhorrent and unacceptable," he said.
Oron, on the other hand, said that it was high time the leaders retreated to a reasoning table and push for a truce.
Oron asked the government to act swiftly to avoid populist politics while the people were suffering.
"We want to see action taken to end these wars. It's uncalled for. But it takes two to tango," the MP said.
Kericho governor issued a statement yesterday which irked the Kisumu leaders. While calling for calm and peace he lashed at the Kisumu counterparts for allegedly instigating the fights forcing them into defence.
But this irked the leaders who termed their response even more provocative and could spark more chaos by asking them to issue sober statements.
Meanwhile, police kept vigil in the area as tension continued to brew with a combined team of security forces to be deployed to quell tension and restore social and economic order on the busy border surrounded by a common open-air market shared by both sides.
Seven suspects have so far been arrested at the border and are being interrogated, according to police reports as of yesterday.
