August 29, 2013 (Standard Digital) — It is inexplicable that innocent lives are being lost in Moyale in a country that prides itself as being peace loving. Or could the local anecdotes that the residents of the border town do not belong to Kenyabe true?
Surely, it is not beyond the ability of the police and other law enforcement departments to end the on-going bloodletting that has already cost six lives in as many days. The genesis of the regular conflicts should be well known to the local leaders as well as those in the national government whose raison d’être is to protect lives and property.
Ethiopian militia
As expected, many explanations have been offered for the recent violence ranging from a fight over land and water sources to a row over the seats in the County government. Others have attempted to argue that theEthiopian militia from Ethiopia is to blame because of its frequent incursions ostensibly in pursuit of fighters from the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), which is battling its government forces in a secession bid.
But irrespective of the reasons behind the recent clashes, the national government has a duty and a mandate to protect its people at all times throughout the country that it cannot shirk or devolve to any other entity. It is not enough for police to assureKenyans that normalcy has been restored while evidence on the ground suggests otherwise.
Destruction of property
A reasonable expectation would be that new police reinforcements would have been rushed to the area as soon as it was clear the forces on the ground would not be able to cope with the escalating situation.
Yet, contrary to these expectations, violence is still raging on the seventh day and there is no telling when it will be brought to an end. Worse, lives are still getting lost and the destruction of property continues.
Perhaps, it may not be too much to ask that the police do whatever is necessary to end the violence and then go after the perpetrators. For it cannot be overemphasised that the practice of individuals and groups attempting to get their way through violence will not be tamed until perpetrators are brought to book.
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