Bid to restore peace in Lamu begins – Weekly Citizen

There is urgent need to constitute a peace committee to find a lasting solution surrounding the ever bloody conflict between two villages in Lamu East constituency.
Sources claim that already, 20 lives are feared to have been lost in revenge attacks between Mbwa Jumwali and Tchundwa residents.

National Cohesion and Integration Commission chairman Francis ole Kaparo

The resolution was reached after a three- day meeting under the auspices of the National Cohesion and Integration Commission after it emerged that the conflict between the two villages is raising security concerns in Pate Island where the rivalry started among the residents.
Lamu East MP Ahmed Sharriff hailed the move as a step forward towards resolving a long running conflict between some affected families from both villages, leading to heightened insecurity in the area.
The meeting was attended by Lamu women representative, Ruweida Obo and NCIC director of Peace and Conflict Resolution, Laban Wario, local leaders and residents from the affected villages. The conflict between Mbwa Jumwali and Tchundwa has been on for years.

Lamu women rep Ruweida Obo

According to a security source, affected family members sometimes carry out revenge killings against alleged perpetrators’ family members even as far as Malindi and Mombasa, causing concern especially among the Bajuni community.
Youths are blamed for the killings. Low literacy levels is one of the reasons why youths are easily lured into engaging in crime and petty rivalries that sometimes prove fatal.
Mbwa Jumwali residents cannot access Mtangwanda jetty through the access road which passes near Tchundwa for fear of being attacked while Tchundwa area residents can not access Faza as the same access road passes next to Mbwa Jumwali.
Insecurity in Lamu East has deteriorated over the years with police failing to make a single arrest over the long running attacks that have so far left 20 dead and hundreds maimed.
The NCIC director, Wario says organised crime and gangs among youths in Lamu East need to be dismantled and the peace initiative needs to be supported by all parties affected in order to build the community.
Haki Africa Lamu coordinator Yunus Ahmed wants police to step up efforts to engage the community constructively to resolve the conflict between the two villages.

The Lamu Red Cross coordinator Kauthar Ali voiced her concern over the spiraling conflict which has also claimed the life of one Red Cross volunteer who was hacked to death in her shop in the island.