Duale urges disarmament, justice for victims after border clashes in Kitui

Speaking to journalists in Nairobi, Duale urged political leaders to come together and preach peace, saying Kenya belongs to all communities.

“I want to send a message of peace and unity for our people in Tana River… and by extension Garissa, and the neighbouring Isiolo county. Peace is very expensive,” Duale said.

He stressed that communities live across the country and should not be divided along ethnic lines.

“Every community lives everywhere in our country. There is no zoning,” he said.

Duale called on security agencies to pursue those behind the killings and ensure they face justice.

“The security agents must also make sure that criminals and bandits… and people who want to kill others and have killed people, they must be apprehended and brought to book,” he said.

The remarks come as calm is reported to be returning to Kwa Kamari village in Tseikuru sub-county, Kitui County, two days after an inter-community attack left seven people dead, scores injured and several houses torched.

A heavy contingent of General Service Unit (GSU) officers and regular police has been deployed to restore order and prevent further attacks.

Kitui Governor Julius Malombe has called for a truce and urged the Interior Ministry to operationalise police stations along the Kitui–Tana River border to prevent a repeat of the clashes.

Officials have said retaliatory attacks along the volatile border have left at least 12 people dead so far, with the violence also drawing political reactions.

Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka has demanded answers from the government over the killings, describing the attack as a “governance failure” and calling for more security deployments, a full investigation and the disarmament of illegal firearms in the region.