Mwingi-Garissa clashes: North Eastern leaders call for ceasefire, urge gov’t to intervene

Leaders from North Eastern Kenya have called on the government to urgently intervene and restore calm following escalating clashes along the Kitui–Garissa border that have paralysed transport along the Mwingi–Garissa highway.

The legislators condemned the violence, warning against its ethnic undertones and urging affected communities to reject any attempts to foment division, fear and instability.

"Investigations should be carried out followed by swift apprehension and prosecution of all individuals responsible for instigating, orchestrating or participating in these acts of violence without fear, favour or bias or regard to any social standing.”

This is even as the Mwingi–Garissa highway remained impassable for the third consecutive day, leaving dozens of passengers stranded at bus termini in Nairobi and Garissa after operators suspended services citing security concerns.

Leaders from the affected regions have also appealed for restraint, even as efforts to de-escalate the situation continue.

“We unequivocally and in all possible terms condemn these acts of violence, particularly those fueled by ethnicity, incitement and lawlessness. Such actions strain the very foundation of peaceful coexistence that communities in this region have for a very long time endured to build and sustain," Keynan noted.

"We call upon all communities within the affected areas to exercise the highest degree of restraint, desist from any retaliatory action and embrace dialogue and lawful mechanisms."

A high-level meeting between the governors of Kitui and Garissa counties was convened on Thursday afternoon in a bid to find a lasting solution to the conflict.

Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale has also called for an immediate end to the violence, urging local political leaders to take an active role in promoting peace and cohesion within their communities.

He further called on security agencies to act swiftly in apprehending those behind the recent killings, stressing that those responsible must be brought to justice without delay.